Like Father, Like Son
by Hopeakaarme
Summary: Harry finds out that James Potter was his uncle and Lily wasn't even related to him. How will he deal with these discoveries and his real father, when Voldemort is on rampage? Implied and not so implied SLASH RLJP RLKS SSSB. Complete.
1. The Beginning

Disclaimer: Don't make me laugh.

A/N: This fic will include implied and obvious SLASH as well as references to MALE PREGNANCY in the future chapters (not this one, though), so if that disturbs you, turn around NOW. I won't appropriate flames.

This is an AU; the fifth and sixth books never happened in the universe of this fic. Sirius, Remus, and Severus are all teachers in Hogwarts, Sirius' name having been cleared.

Don't let the prologue scare you away; later chapters are in a normal format..

* * *

Like Father, Like Son

Prologue:

Beginnings

* * *

"Good evening, students of Hogwarts," Headmaster Dumbledore's voice echoed through all the classroom during an evening lesson. "I've been asked, by the Ministry, to remove an Adoption Charm placed on one student of this school. I'm now asking you all to listen as I read the student's real name, as it is the most curious thing." 

All glanced to each other, astonished. What on Earth was going on? Adoption Charm? On whom? Straining their ears, they started to listen attentively as the Headmaster continued.

'

A description of the following events:

'

10:34:05

Headmaster Dumbledore says, "Remus."

A full class of third year Ravenclaws and Slytherins stare at their DADA professor.

The DADA professor, Remus Lupin, looks a bit cautious.

The Charms professor, Sirius Black, looks suddenly very interested.

The Potions professor, Severus Snape, is strained.

Harry Potter begins to feel a bit dizzy.

10:34:09

Headmaster Dumbledore says, "Altair."

Third year Ravenclaws and Slytherins lost their interest on their DADA professor.

Remus Lupin becomes very pale.

Sirius Black takes some steps towards the door, completely ignoring his students.

Severus Snape swallows hard and eyes carefully over his classroom, full of first year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs.

Harry Potter feels a very irritating, sudden wave of nausea.

Ron Weasley glances at his friend.

10:34:14

Headmaster Dumbledore says, "Marcus."

Remus Lupin starts to run towards the door of the class room.

Third year Ravenclaws and Slytherins become again interested in their professor.

Sirius Black steps in to the corridor outside his classroom.

Fourth year Gryffindors stare at their Charms professor, who's leaving the class for no seeming reason.

Severus Snape grasps the edge of his desk for support.

First year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs notice their Potions professor's weird behaviour.

Harry Potter feels a huge wave of emptiness hitting him.

Ron Weasley reaches out his hand to support his best friend.

The Transfiguration professor, Minerva McGonagall, notices Harry's sickness, becoming very worried.

10:34:20

Professor Dumbledore says, "Snape."

All the students in the school stare at each other in shock.

Remus Lupin starts to run along the corridor with all the speed and strength his Lycanthropy gives him.

Third year Ravenclaws and Slytherins give suspicious looks to their teacher's empty desk.

Sirius Black is already reaching the nearest staircase in the end of the corridor.

Fourth year Gryffindors stare at each other in their empty classroom.

Severus Snape collapses to the floor.

First year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs panic completely.

Harry Potter loses his consciousness.

Ron Weasley exclaims and keeps his friend up.

Hermione Granger screams in shock and surprise.

Minerva McGonagall starts to walk to the left side of the classroom.

10:34:30

Professor Dumbledore waits.

Majority of the students has begun whispering and gossiping.

Remus Lupin runs in the staircase.

Sirius Black reaches the end of the stairs.

Third year Ravenclaws and Slytherins are very astonished.

Fourth year Gryffindors don't understand anything.

Severus Snape lays on the floor, clearly unconscious.

First year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs are in full chaos.

Harry Potter no longer exists.

Ron Weasley panics.

Hermione Granger fights for her consciousness.

Minerva McGonagall prays for the impossible.

Fifth year Gryffindors are screaming.

10;35:02

Professor Dumbledore still waits.

Remus Lupin reaches the corridor along which is the Transfiguration class room.

Sirius Black sees the door of the Transfiguration class room in the end of corridor.

Severus Snape hasn't woke up.

One of the first year Ravenclaws is still sensible enough to leave the class room.

Remus Altair Marcus Snape lies unconscious in the tight grasp of Ron Weasley.

Hermione Granger, who understands suddenly more than she'd really want to, bites her lips to prevent a scream.

Minerva McGonagall tries to calm down her students, still praying in her mind for the impossible.

10:35:18

Professor Dumbledore waits.

Remus Lupin and Sirius Black step in to the Transfiguration class on the exactly same moment.

The most sensible first year Ravenclaw, Camilla Jones, tries to find any professor.

Remus Snape is still unconscious, as well as his father in the dungeons.

Ron Weasley begins to understand.

Hermione Granger is in denial.

Minerva McGonagall reaches the trio's side.

Fifth year Gryffindors are still screaming, staring at the Trio.

10:35:30

Professor Dumbledore waits.

Remus Lupin kneels down next to Remus Snape.

Sirius Black looks very worried, standing next to the two Remus's.

Camilla Jones is still looking for a professor.

Ron Weasley is staring at Remus Snape.

Hermione Granger is whispering without sound.

Minerva McGonagall notices that her prayers were useless.

Fifth year Gryffindors in majority begin to understand.

10:36:03

Professor Dumbledore waits.

Remus Lupin looks in a mixture of awe and horror at Remus Snape.

Sirius Black takes Remus Snape on his arms.

Camilla Jones sees professor Sprout.

Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger try to stand up, preparing to follow Sirius Black.

Minerva McGonagall doesn't know what to do.

Fifth year Gryffindors notice Remus Snape's hair.

10:37:45

Professor Dumbledore hears somebody knocking on the door of his office.

Remus Lupin has just tied Remus Snape's hair on a long ponytail.

Sirius Black is carrying Remus Snape into the Headmaster's office.

Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger don't know what they should think about everything.

Third year Ravenclaws and Slytherins and fourth year Gryffindors are speculating on a tremendous rate.

First year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs and fifth year Gryffindors are in chaos.

Minerva McGonagall is trying to calm down her students.

Camilla Jones is, obeying her orders, running to Mafam Pomfrey.

Professor Sprout is trying to wake up Severus Snape, ignoring the chaos around her.


	2. Explanation

Disclaimer: Nope, they aren't mine. Not a thing.

A/N: Lol, don't worry, the format won't go on. It was just an experiment, not a permanent choice. Anyway, here's the next chapter!

* * *

Second Chapter

()

About the time the abandoned classes had been calmed down, the no-more-Harry taken to the Infirmary, and the events in majority were somehow under control, four people were standing in front of the Headmaster. Ron and Hermione were anxious to get some explanations, while Sirius and professor Lupin looked merely thoughtful, if not the tiniest bit saddened for some reason the youngs were unable to understand.

"This is very difficult to explain," Dumbledore told them. He turned towards Hermione. "Miss Granger, have you ever heard of Adoption Charms?"

"Yes, I have," Hermione said. "Doesn't it mean that he'll - he'll lose everything?"

"No," the Headmaster answered smiling. "It means that he'll receive everything."

"What do you mean?" Ron asked, very confused. "I don't know anything about Adoption Charms. What do they do?"

"It's very complicated," professor Lupin said. "But surely you know that in Wizarding World, the children are adopted far more completely than in Muggle World. For example your brother Percy..."

"Percy?" Ron interrupted. "He's - he's adopted? But - how -"

"Yes, he is adopted," Lupin told him. "It was a complete adoption. No one knows who his real parents were. There's no demand to remove the charm in any age. He knows he's not born a Weasley. He looks like one, but surely you've noticed that he's not just like the rest of you?"

"Definitely," Ron murmured. "He looks like Charlie's head in Fred's body, but his character is from some other universe."

"You see?" Lupin smiled. "Just as well Harry - or, rather, Remus - looked just like he would if he really was James's and Lily's son. But his character is slightly different that it would have been if they were his biological parents. The Charm even hides it in the Sorting Ceremony to fit him in his 'family' - I'm sure Percy would otherwise have been in Ravenclaw."

"But what will happen now?" Ron asked, still astonished. "He looks - different. So the Charm is removed from him? Will his character change as well?"

"We don't know yet," Dumbledore said. "Maybe it will, maybe it won't. He looks different, because he looks like he would if he'd spend his whole life in his real family. When he wakes up, he'll start changing in his mind as well. He'll remember growing up with the Dursleys, being Harry Potter, hating Severus Snape. But, he'll become the person he'd been if he had led a different life.

Little by little, he'll change. His memories won't be replaced with new ones, but he'll change to the person he'd be if he hadn't been adopted. His interests will change. He'll probably be the best student in Potions, and a much better student in general. He'll most likely be in different house." Dumbledore was quiet for a moment, then continued, "And, probably, he'll get new friends."

"New friends?" Ron echoed. "But - what about us?"

"I don't know, Ronald. I don't know." It was the first time they had ever seen the Headmaster so depressed. "If we're lucky, he won't change much. Hopefully he'll make friends with you again. That's the best option, for both you and him. He needs good friends to help him go through this - through finding out that the person he's hated for his whole life is actually his father, and through settling into his new life."

"And what's the worst option?" Hermione asked, although she already knew the answer. She had read far too much about adoption in Wizarding World to be really unaware of that.

"The worst option is," Dumbledore said, suddenly looking very old and tired, "that he doesn't want to even talk to you - or that he'll be a person you don't want to be friends with."

"So if we're very unlucky, we'll have two Snape's around?" Ron asked.

"That's not very polite, Ronald," Lupin said. "Severus is very good man. He did what he had to, and it made him bitter."

"But still!" Ron exclaimed. "He's a rude, greasy-haired git, and -" He shut up very quickly as he noticed that he was talking about his teacher in front of two of his professors and the Headmaster.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Merlin knows I've said that many times enough," he said, acting amused, "but I won't let you insult my friends, young Mister Weasley. It's my exclusive right."

"Your friend?" Hermione bursted out. "I thought he was your worst enemy!"

"So thought everyone else," Sirius said with a little, sad smile. "And therefore our little play filled its purpose. Yes, Severus Snape is my friend. He's Remus's friend also. And he was James's friend."

"More than a friend," said Remus, grinning a little bit. "You should know that."

"More than a friend?" Ron questioned. "What do you mean?"

"Remus means," said somebody behind them, "that James Potter, the precious hero of Gryffindor, was my brother. My twinbrother - obviously not identical."

Ron and Hermione both turned around and stared. Snape stood in the doorway, looking extremely pale and rather weak. He was grasping the frame to get some support, but he looked just as stern and bitter as usually.

"If he was your brother," Hermione said, "then why do you have different family name? And why doesn't anyone know?"

"That's nothing of your business, Miss Granger," Snape snapped. "You'll know what you have to know. Now, Albus - where's my son?"

The Headmaster smiled. "Your son is in the infirmary, Severus," he informed the Potions Master. "Like you should know very well. He should wake up at any moment. When he does, Poppy will question him to find out exactly how much he knows already. After that, you can go to him."

"You'd better not to," Lupin said kindly to the youngsters. "We can't yet say how much he's changed already. If he requests seeing you, we'll send for you. If not, we'll also tell you about that."

Hermione nodded, swallowing hard. "What - what will happen now?" she asked, fearing the worst.

Dumbledore gave her a serious gaze. "We'll inform the whole school that there's a new student, Remus Snape," he said, "and we'll also inform them about the death of Harry Potter."

"Death?" Ron whispered.

"Yes, Ronald," Lupin said. "Harry Potter, as you knew him, is now dead. Remus Snape is a wholly new person. In future we'll see whom he chooses to be friends with, or who'll be his opponent. Until then, you can't do anything."

And with this, he sent them to their way.

* * *

Next chapter: Harry/Remus wakes up, demanding explanations. And just who is his other parent?


	3. Confrontion

Disclaimer: Nope, still not mine... Just the highly unlikely plot belongs to me.

A/N: Here it is. I tried to make Harry/Remus a bit more like his new personality in this chapter, although the change is not yet complete.

I do not know why some of you think this'll be Remus/Harry... The story's post-Remus/James, and Remus's new love shall be Kingsley Shacklebolt. Also, Sirius was not James's brother - Severus was. But yes, Sirius is Harry's other parent.

WARNINGS: Implied SLASH and MPREG SS/SB.

* * *

Third Chapter

"Mmm... where I am?" asked the boy who lay on the Infirmary bed.

"In the Infirmary, dear," Madam Pomfrey replied gently. "About the time you wake up, you've been out for four hours already. We were getting worried, you should have woke up ages ago."

"What happened?" he asked, frowning. Then, he brought a hand to his forehead. "No, don't say. I remember... I remember Dumbledore saying something about... removing a charm." The boy opened his eyes, locking them at the mediwitch, who startled as she saw the icy blue orbs. "An Adoption Charm."

"Exactly," said a quiet voice from the door of the Infirmary. "An Adoption Charm that was placed on you when you were merely an infant."

The boy, Remus Snape, turned towards the speaker. "You," he said, his voice empty of all emotions, as he saw the three men standing in the doorway.

"Yes, me," Severus Snape replied calmly. "And Remus and Sirius."

With a wary voice, the boy asked, "What do you want?"

"To explain." With this, the three men walked to the side of his bed, sitting down to the few chairs. Madam Pomfrey left the room, but not before warning the men not to exhaust her patient too much, as he hadn't yet recovered wholly from the change.

For a moment, nobody said anything. Then, as everyone's eyes were locked at Severus, he decided to start. "Let's start from the beginning," the Potions Master sighed. "I wasn't born as Severus Salazar Snape. Instead, I was Julian Mathias Potter, James Matthew Potter's identical twin."

Young Remus's eyes flew wide. Soon, he got his emotions under control in a way that the others recognized to be copied right from his father. "What?" the boy asked, raising his eyebrow in an all too familiar manner.

The Slytherin smiled sadly. "When I was eight, I caught a disease called Merlin's Sleep. It damaged me so I looked different from my twin brother. As it's easy to avoid and heal with just ordinary wizarding skills, it's always a great shame to the family if a child suffers from it long enough for it to change their appearance. So, to avoid that shame, my parents gave me to adoption." Severus closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again, and continued, "I and James still kept contact. I'd been adopted by Snapes, a family that loathed Potters more than anything. Of course they didn't know my origin, as I didn't look anything like I'd used to, and I was too clever to tell them. I hated my parents for abandoning me, but I couldn't hate James, for he wasn't in any way responsible of my situation. To the outside, we acted loathing towards each other to keep our families happy, but in secret, we were still the best friends and brothers."

"He looked different and had a different name, and their act was very good," Sirius said. "Even we didn't know the truth until James told us, about the same time as we found out about Remus's Lycanthropy."

"And then, I made friends with Remus and Peter, too," Severus added, picking up the story. "Nobody else knew. To the world, we were the worst enemies. Only Lily Evans was let in to our secret, since she was our friend, too.

"In secret we were still very good friends as we graduated. Some time later, I got married - secretly, of course, for I was already spying for Dumbledore at that point. However, as we found out that a baby was on the way, we had no idea of what to do."

"Fortunately, James was of course ready to help his dear brother," Sirius continued. "He and Lily set up a fake marriage - James had a lover on the side, and Lily was simply not interested in anyone at that point. When you, Remus Altair Marcus Snape, were born, they took you as their own son, under adoption charms and the name of Harry James Potter. And till their own unfortunate deaths, you were a son to them as well as you were one to Severus."

Young Remus didn't seem to buy the story easily. "Why didn't you take care of me after the Potters' death, then?" he demanded accusingly, his now icy blue eyes locked at his father.

"For several reasons," the Slytherin said, sighing deeply. "First and foremost, to give you protection. Although Lily was not your blood kin, she did die to protect you, and thus her family would protect you from the Dark Lord's followers. At second, everybody 'knew' that I had hated the Potters - they'd never believed me if I'd told that you were mine, a Death Eater claiming the Boy Who Lived. And, at last, I didn't know how the Ministry would have reacted. As long as you were Harry Potter, you were given some kind of safety. However, if anybody'd known who you were, you'd been highly despised and watched upon."

"Why's that?" asked the boy, slightly confused, although he hid his astonishment well. He tugged at a strand of his black hair in a manner that reminded everyone present of just who his parents were.

"Because claiming you, I'd been forced to tell who the other parent was. And believe me, even my status as a Death Eater was a little crime at the time compared to your other parent's deeds."

"Who was that, then?" the younger Remus asked, frowning. "Whatever could my mother have done?"

"That's just the problem, Remus," the older Remus said gently. "You see, you had no mother."

The boy's eyes widened slightly, and he again raised an eyebrow, but otherwise, he stayed unresponsive.

"He's indeed telling the truth," Severus agreed. "It wasn't a woman who carried you and gave birth to you. No, it was a man - more specifically, my husband, Sirius Anthony Snape."

Now, the black-haired teen stared at first at him, then at Sirius, obviously not believing a word of what he heard.

"It is true, Remus," Sirius said quietly. "I was the one to carry you. It wasn't that hard, really - just a couple of potions, and I could get pregnant. I loved Severus, I still do, and I'd have done anything for him. Especially much I was willing to carry his child."

The younger Remus lowered his eyes, seemingly deep in thought. At last, he raised his eyes at his parents and his older namesake. "I think I understand," he said quietly. "And, although it's not easy, I forgive you. You truly had no way to take care of me, and even after Sirius was freed, you couldn't do that. Trying to make me believe without any other proofs but your words would have been about impossible." With a snort and a quick glance at his now fine, long-fingered hands, he added, "Now I have more proofs than I really care to have."

"Good," said Sirius, obviously relieved. He'd been really nervous about how his son would react to the surprising news. The boy was taking this all much better than any of the adults had even dared to hope.

This relief didn't go unnoticed by the boy, of course. "Don't be so bloody surprised," he snapped. "I'm not a Gryffindork anymore - no offense," he added quickly, glancing towards Sirius and Remus. "Like you surely realize, I'm not Harry Potter anymore. Harry wouldn't maybe have understood your motives, he was too Gryffindor for that. But I'm half a Slytherin, and I think I understand enough to look past all those things. I'm accepting the family you're offering to me."

"Thank you," Severus said quietly, nodding slowly. He'd been half expecting this. Everything had depended on which one of his parents young Remus would take after in temperament. If he'd been like Sirius, he'd most probably been furious at them for keeping all this a secret from him this long. But, as he was seemingly like Severus himself, he just observed the situation logically, making his own conclusions. "We can discuss the details later, but I do think that the most important things are now taken care of."

"There's one thing we still need to decide," the older Remus said then, a little smile curling his lips.

Severus raised his eyebrow. "And that is?" he asked.

"Well, I truly am honoured that you named your son after me, but it's getting pretty confusing to have two Remuses around," the werewolf said, the smile now evident on his lips. "Therefore, it might be better if we decided on which one of us should be called differently, and what would that name be."

"You're Remus, and you've always been," Sirius said. "I'm saying that we call the younger Remus by some other name."

"And what's that?" asked Severus, raising an eyebrow. "I can hardly think of a nickname I would myself accept, and if young Remus is the tiniest bit a Snape like he should be, it might not be easy to create an acceptable name."

"What about asking the boy himself?" the older Remus suggested. They all turned towards the teenager, who looked thoughtful.

"Remy," he said after a moment of thinking. "That much of twisting my name I can bear." Then he added dryly, "Besides, if I don't allow that, these two Marauders will just give me some ridiculous name, like Puppy or something even worse."

"Actually, that'd be quite fitting," Sirius said with a sadistic smirk. Then, seeing the frown on the teen's face, he laughed. "No, seriously, you'll be fine as Remy. Back in our school times, we wanted to create a Marauder nickname for Severus also, but he completely refused. Must be because of his nature - feline creatures tend to be stubborn," he said with a teasing grin to his husband.

"Hey, wait a minute," Remy said, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. Then, he nailed his sapphire gaze at his father's obsidian one. "A Marauder nickname, eh? And a feline creature? Are you an Animagus, too?"

"Yes, I am," Severus admitted. "An unregistered one, like all my friends. My form is a black lion. And no, do not ask how a lion can be black, I just am. It's something nobody's managed to explain to this day."

"So that's why the Aurors said that the door was 'torn from its place' the day we caught Pettigrew," the young man realized. "You were the first one on the place, right? And I'm pretty well aware that you cannot tear doors apart with your human strength."

Severus simply nodded, then shrugged. "He was behind the door, just about to Disapparate," he explained quietly. "An unlocking spell would have taken too much time. It was easier to just bang myself against it as an animal. Do you have any idea how much a lion can weigh?"

"Too bloody much if it happens to fall asleep on your feet," Sirius muttered. "And not nearly enough when compared to a tiger. And certainly not enough to save it from some serious harm if Poppy thinks we're exhausting her patient too much, so I do recommend that we leave sometime soon."

"You're right," Remus said, smiling slightly. Then he glanced at Remy, and his expression turned serious. "We have to leave now, but I'm sure at least your parents will visit you still again before you're released from the Infirmary," he said. "You certainly have a lot to think about, and I'll be surprised if you don't want to talk about any of it." With a slightly nasty smirk, he added, "Nobody with Padfoot's genes can be quiet, not even a Snape."

"I am a Snape, if I may remind," Sirius pointed out. "No matter what everyone says, 'Sirius Anthony Snape' is what stands in every official paper, and that's all that matters." Then he replied the smirk. "And you'd better not say anything, wolfboy," he added. "You'll soon have one very angry Snape over you!"

"With what muscles?" asked Remus innocently, knowing very well that he was just about to enter a fist-fight.

Some time later, Remy glanced at the two men wrestling around the floor. "Tell me I'm not related to either of them," he then said, sending an almost pleading gaze towards his Slytherin father.

"Alas, no such luck," Severus said with a slight smirk. "One of them is indeed your father." Then he continued, "By the way, what are you going to call us? The correct terms are of course 'a father' and 'a carrier,' but I do think it'd sound rather silly if you went around calling Sirius 'Carrier.'"

"What about 'Car?'" suggested the boy innocently. Then he said, "No, honestly, you're right. I cannot call you both 'Father,' either, that'd be even more confusing than calling both me and Remus by the same name." After a moment of thinking he said, "You'll be Father, and Sirius'll be Dad. Or do you think he'd prefer 'Daddy?' After all, that'd be twisting the word even more, and he seems to like that kind of things."

"I do believe that 'Dad' is quite fine," Severus said with a faint smile. Remy truly was much like he'd been in the boy's age - more sarcastic than he should be. "Do you think I should break them off?"

"Nah. Let them fight," his son replied carelessly. "They seem to enjoy it, and besides, it's rather amusing to look at. Why disturb them for nothing?"

"Remus is a werewolf, and as thus, he has a werewolf's strength," Severus said with just as casual tone. "Sometimes he just forgets it. I'd rather not have my husband back injured or dead just because our friend doesn't know when to stop."

"Fine. Go on, break them off it, then." Remy pointed at the two still fighting men.

Severus took one glance at the fighting wizards, then took a better position on his chair. If he went nearer, he'd most probably be accidentally kicked, hit, or tripped, or any combination of those. Better let them stop it by themselves; they were grown men, after all.

Besides, like Remy'd mentioned, it was truly quite amusing to watch.

* * *

...Well?

The next Chapter: Believe me, I truly hope I knew.

Suggestions? Wishes? Anything?


	4. Conversation

Disclaimer: Nope, they're not mine. I own Remy's name, though. XD Oh, and the theory about Adoption Charms, and Remy's theory later on. (I like coming up with insane theories about everything.)

A/N: I had a lazy afternoon. Fear the results.

Oh, and _I_ didn't say Severus and James are unidentical, _Severus_ said that. He's not very likely going to explain just why they're no more identical, 'cause that'd require him also admitting that his parents abandoned him.

* * *

Fourth Chapter

* * *

"When we spoke, Dad mentioned one thing that confused me," Remy said after a moment.

"Yes?" asked Severus warily, not knowing what to expect. It could be anything, really.

"He said that fa - James had a lover at the side." The blue orbs locked at the black ones as Remy continued, "Who was his lover?"

Suddenly, Remus and Sirius stopped their playfight. They stood up, both wiping dust away from their robes, warily eyeing Severus and Remy. They were obviously waiting to hear what Severus was going to say.

"You're a clever boy, Remy," said Severus quietly, "you have to be, with the genetics you have. If I told you that each one of us - I, Sirius, and James - chose one of your names, what would you think?"

After a moment, the boy's eyes widened slightly, although his Snapish calmness didn't fade. "Remus?" he asked, his eyes shooting up at the werewolf.

Remus sighed. "Yes," he said quietly. "James and I... We were lovers, ever since our fifth year at school." A distant look came to his eyes as he continued, "That's the reason why I believed Sirius guilty... I was so mad with sorrow that I couldn't think straight. All I could think about was that James was dead, my only love was dead and not coming back." Swallowing, he ended, "Later, I just reasoned to myself that Sirius had been jealous, and that was why he became a traitor. After all, you, his dear son, were known as James and Lily's. And you were the only one who survived. I had to think so, for I wouldn't have survived myself."

"What do you mean?" questioned the boy, frowning at his namesake's words.

"What he means, Remy," Sirius said quietly, wrapping his arms around his friend's slightly shaking shoulders, "is that Remus has always been a bit to the suicidal side. If he'd allowed himself to think that I was innocent and he'd let me go to the Azkaban for nothing, the self-loathing could have got the better of him."

Now, the boy actually looked a bit scared. "So that's why you forgave him so easily," he said quietly.

"Exactly," nodded Sirius. "Because I had nothing to forgive, really. In his place, I'd done just the same things."

For a moment, the boy's eyes stayed locked at the floor. Then he glanced up and said to the older Remus, "I'm sorry that you had to suffer so."

"I'm sorry, too," said Remus with a shaky smile, obviously trying to fight against the tears that threatened to fall. "But none of us is guilty of that, so we could just as well forget it." Wiping away a tear that had managed to get out, he muttered, "Oh, crap. I always get oversensitive around the full moon." Sniffling slightly, he added, "I'm sorry for being such a woman, but I really can't help it."

"No problem, mate," Sirius grinned, releasing Remus from his loose embrace. "I'll never call you a woman again. I've got too bad memories about that!"

As Remy looked confused, Severus explained calmly, "Once, he called Remus a woman a day before the full moon. Unfortunately to him, the PMSing Lily also heard that, and he had to run through the house with two people chasing him, yelling, and throwing things at him."

"Typical," snorted the boy. "You just never know when to shut your mouth, do you, Dad?"

"No," grinned Sirius, "by Remus doesn't know when _not_ to shut it, like Severus surely remembers..."

The amber eyes widening, Remus clasped a hand over his friend's mouth before Sirius could get any further. "You keep quiet about that," he hissed, "or I swear I'll rip your tongue out!"

"This story involves James, Remus, and a bedroom," said Severus helpfully to his son.

Remy groaned. "A bad mental image," he said, putting a hand over his eyes, "a _bad_ mental image..."

Raising his eyebrow, Severus commented, "Our son obviously has your dirty mind, love. What about if we leave before he gets even more traumatized?"

"A good idea," said Sirius, whom Remus had at last released, although the werewolf still eyed him warily as if expecting him to start telling dirty stories at any moment.

So, the three men bid their goodbyes to the boy. Then, they left, Remus's hand gripping Sirius's shoulder in a way that looked very painful, the latter trying to talk himself off the hook, and Severus shaking his head at the two.

They'd hardly got off the sight as Poppy Pomfrey came to the room. "Miss Granger wants to meet you," she said warily at her patient. "What shall I say to her?"

Remy thought for a moment. He remembered Hermione, of course he did. But, he wasn't sure about what to think of the girl.

Well, there was only one way to find out, really. "Let her in," he said to the mediwitch.

Time to face the past.

Just a moment after Poppy had left, a curly-haired girl came to the room. With an almost shy glance at Remy, she said, "Um... Hi, Remus."

"Remy."

"Excuse me?" she asked, looking a bit confused.

"My name's Remy, not Remus. My calling name, anyway. Otherwise, it'd be too confusing with two Remus's around."

"Yeah, well. Anyway, hi, Remy."

"Hi, Hermione."

"So... Do you know the story now?" the girl then asked hesitantly.

"You mean, I'm a Snape, my most hated professor is my father, and my godfather my carrier?" Remy raised an eyebrow. "I should think so."

"Wait a second. Did you just say that - Sirius is your carrier?" Hermione demanded to know, looking surprised.

"Either so, or I've been cheated a big time. As they were quite adamant that it's the truth, however, I do think that it's true."

"Oh." Nodding, she asked then, "So, Remy, do you think you could be friends with us again?"

"Maybe, maybe not." Raising his eyebrow again in a very Snapish way, the boy continued, "Are you sure you want to hang around a Snape, though? That'd spoil your perfect Gryffindor image, wouldn't it?"

"Well, if you're half Sirius's, you can't be that bad," Hermione said with a bit sheepish grin.

"You'd be surprised," Remy said dryly. "I've just found out that he tells the dirtiest stories ever. Remus silenced him before he could tell more than that Remus doesn't know when not to shut his mouth, but from the details Father told to me, I think I don't want to know more."

Blushing a bit, Hermione giggled. "Once a Marauder, always a Marauder, eh?" she asked then, smiling.

"I do believe so." With a dry grin, Remy continued, "I'm going to ask them to teach me to become an Animagus. That should be really interesting."

"Oh, I'm sure it is," she replied, now getting an enthusiastic tone to her voice. "What do you think, will you be in Ravenclaw now? You know, the Sorting Hat was going to put me there, but in the end it decided on Gryffindor. Sometimes I think that it did the wrong decision."

"When I - or, Harry - was Sorted, it almost put him into Slytherin," Remy smirked. "How's that for a right decision?"

Hermione whistled. "Do you think it could have seen through the Adoption Charm?"

"Nah. I don't think so," replied the boy, shaking his head. "More it's about the traces Voldemort left to me along with the scar." Wiping away his fringe, he asked then, "By the way, do I still have the scar?"

"Yeah," she said, glancing at the lightning bolt at his forehead. "I think it's about more than whether you're a Potter or a Snape, or Harry or Remy. The scar, it's about the person you are, under all the charms and spells." Shrugging, she added, "Or I'm just wrong and it's already fading. After all, you're supposed to look like you would if you hadn't been adopted. Obviously, you wouldn't have received the scar."

"Then who would have?" asked Remy. "Since if nobody had, then Voldemort would still be here, right?" A calculating expression came to his face, as he continued, "The removal of the Adoption Charms will only change me. So, the world doesn't change. If I hadn't received the scar, it'd have to change the world, as the scar also affects other people, not only me. So, obviously, even though I had stayed with my parents, I would have received the scar." As he noticed the odd look Hermione was giving him, he asked, "What are you looking at?"

"You," Hermione replied simply, "and how you've changed. I highly doubt Harry'd ever been capable of that logic." With an amused snort, she added, "If you call that logic."

"Why, thank you." Remy once again raised an eyebrow, then continued his speculations. "So, I got the scar... But Voldemort didn't attack my real parents, for then, the way I got the scar would once again change the world. Logically, I was with Lily and James, as they're dead. And, quite more obviously, they were baby-sitting me, as nobody else was present - and nobody else got hurt. But then, there'd be no secret keeper, and that'd mean that they didn't have to hide, and that'd mean that Voldemort didn't want to get to them." A slight frown appeared on his forehead. Then, he still continued, "There has to be some reason why Lily and James were under the Fideliatus. They weren't really married, that's for sure. So, as they were Voldemort's most hated enemies, they had to hide... But why would Father and Dad give me to their care, then?" After a moment of thinking, a slight smile lit up his face. "Of course! Remus is the key thing in this. Or, rather, the fact that Remus didn't have to hide. As he was with James, and Lily and James wouldn't be married if I hadn't had to be adopted, what is the logical conclusion? It doesn't matter whether it was Remus or Lily, since it was James Voldemort wanted to catch. So, Lily didn't have to hide, either. Most probably, I was given to her, and she was visiting James, and that was when Voldemort struck."

Hermione didn't say anything, just watched him, looking fascinated.

"That's also why my character is like I'd been raised by my both parents. In this 'my universe,' James did die. But, as I wasn't under James and Lily's care, there was no reason for Sirius to be jealous, and nobody'd find any reason why he'd betray his best friend. Remus and Father would believe him, and he'd stay home and not go to Azkaban." Seemingly quite satisfied with himself, he grinned. "The problem has been solved!"

"My goodness," said a dry voice from the doorway. "I came here to inform you that the Headmaster wants you Sorted, but I doubt that's needed. From what I heard, you're pretty obviously a Ravenclaw, there's no denying that."

Both teens looked to the incomer. "Good evening, Professor McGonagall," said Remy politely. "I'm glad to hear you think I'd be fitting to the Ravenclaw House, since that's where I'm hoping to get to. But, as I and Hermione have both come to notice before, the Sorting Hat is not always flawless in its judicions."

For a moment, the professor just stared at the boy. Then, to the great surprise of both teens - Hermione looked dumbstruck, Remy raised _both_ eyebrows - she started to laugh. "Truly you are a Ravenclaw, young Mister Snape," Professor McGonagall said, after getting over her laughter. "And truly you are Severus's son. Very well, we'll leave you to the Sorting Hat's not flawless care. Then we'll see just how correct its decisions are."

"Erm... Professor McGonagall?" asked Hermione now, speaking for the first time after the professor had appeared. "Is it - is it possible to get re-Sorted?"

Fixing a considering gaze at her, the professor said, "Maybe, Miss Granger, and maybe not. I shall talk with the Headmaster about that. I take it that you're wishing to be Sorted again?"

Hermione merely nodded. "At late, I've come to doubt that the Hat's decision was the right one at my case."

"I suppose you might be right about that," the Animagus professor admitted. "A pity, though. In such a short time I'll be losing my two best students to Ravenclaw." With a slight smile to them, she added, "Since I have no doubt that neither of you will be in Gryffindor, should you be Sorted again."

And with that, she walked out of the room.

* * *

How's that for no-more-Harry's new character? A bit sarcastic, a bit intelligent, a bit insane...

The next chapter:

Hermione and Remy are Sorted, and Ron is really shocked.


	5. Sorting

Disclaimer: I don't own them. Not at all. They're all JKR's. I only own the Charm.

A/N: Just a couple of things I thought you'd like to know. I thought of this fic when I was picking peas today, and here are some decisions I've come to:

_Ron will be (at least slightly) evil._

_Percy will show up._

_Remy and Herm will become Animagi. (I'll decicate that chapter to anyone who guesses Remy's Animagus form. Hell, I'll decicate the rest of the story to the first one who guesses it!)_

_Remy will get involved. (I've got no idea with whom. Not Draco, however.)_

_Another Adoption Charm will be removed._

* * *

Like Father, Like Son

Fifth Chapter

* * *

"So Sirius is your other parent, right?" asked Hermione as Professor McGonagall had left. "How's that he gave you to his best friend?"

Sighing slightly, Remy started to tell the whole story. The girl listened quietly, nodding every now and then at something he said. In the end, she was quiet for quite some time.

"They gave up their own son?" she asked then, sounding horrified. "How could anybody do that?"

"I don't know," said Remy, shrugging. "Obviously, the Potters were -"

"Good people," interrupted a voice from the doorway. The teens looked up, seeing Sirius there. "The Potters were good people," the Animagus repeated, walking into the room. "Alanna Potter especially was, she never wanted to give up Severus - she was told that her son had died. And as for Mathias Potter - well, he was good, but blinded by his pride. He couldn't take the shame that would have come to him if the Wizarding World had found out that he couldn't provide his son the simple protection he'd needed to be safe from the Merlin's Sleep."

"So my grandmother knew nothing about Father being given out to adoption?"

"Exactly. She cried for a whole week after supposedly losing her firstborn son. So did James, until Severus owled him from his new family." Sirius sat on a nearby bed with a sigh. "Alanna regretted the rest of her life that she hadn't helped Severus in time. I think that Mathias regretted it later, too. When they took me in after I ran from my home, they treated me like a son - maybe they were trying to make up for Severus's fate in a way."

"Did they know that you and Severus got married?" asked Hermione curiously.

Shaking his head, Remy's carrier replied, "No. Even Mathias didn't know just where Severus had been adopted to, because his name had been changed. And, as I've told, the Snapes and Potters were the worst enemies. If they'd known that I was in love with Severus, I would have had to say goodbye to the whole family, including James. They wouldn't have allowed me to keep contact with their son anymore, just like James and Severus had to keep up the hateful facade to remain friends."

"Mathias?" asked now Remy. "So Father was originally named after his father?"

"Exactly, Julian Mathias Potter," said Sirius, nodding slightly. "He was the firstborn son, after all, and it was a tradition in the Potter family. That's also the reason why your second name was James after you were adopted; James and Lily 'kept up the tradition' to keep your grandparents' suspicions away."

"Like Bill is William Arthur Weasley, and Ginny's second name is Molly," said Hermione, nodding also slightly. "But you didn't keep up the tradition, did you?"

"Well... In a way," admitted the adult wizard, grinning a bit shamefully. "You see, Altair is just as familiar from Astronomy lessons as Sirius is. And Marcus is Severus's foster father's name - the Snapes were strict, yes, but they do truly care about him, and would have never given him up. Anyway, they are the only people Severus would voluntarily call parents."

"You know," Hermione said, not to anyone in particular, "if I had Mathias Potter now in front of me, I'd sure as hell hex him."

Sirius raised his eyebrows, surprised at her swearing, but Remy's calm Snapish mask didn't falter. "Not necessarily," the Animagus said then. "I don't deny that he did wrong, anything else, but in a way, it was also for the better. We don't know what Severus would have become like in the Potters' family, but he'd definitely be very different. If he was different, I maybe hadn't fallen in love with him in the first place, and little Puppy here wouldn't exist."

"Hey!" exclaimed the boy in annoyance. "My name's Remy, _not_ Puppy! I'm not a dog like you!"

"Some respect to your parent, if you please," Sirius said amusedly. "I'm not a dog. Padfoot is. There's a certain difference."

"Well, I fail to see what it is," grumbled the boy. "At least most dogs have a higher IQ than you!"

"Hey!" exclaimed the Animagus in turn. "I'm actually a quite intelligent man, you know!"

"Of course you are," replied Remy, as calm as only a Snape by blood could. "Otherwise, you wouldn't have been able to produce an offspring like me."

Sensing Sirius's short temper coming near to its end, Hermione said hastily, "Did you know that I'll probably be re-Sorted also? I asked Professor McGonagall about it when she came to tell about Remy's re-Sorting."

"Really?" Fortunately, Sirius's attention span was even shorter than his temper. "That's actually a good idea, you know. I've always wondered why you aren't in Ravenclaw."

"As have I," said Remy calmly.

"Anyway, I should leave now," Sirius said then. "I promised Severus to be back soon, he said he'll need my help soon."

Remy let out a snort. "Whatever would anybody need your help with?"

"Oh, I indeed have a couple of suggestions," said the Animagus, waggling his eyebrows up and down, "but I highly doubt you'd like to know them."

At that, Remy groaned, looking slightly green to Hermione's eyes. "You're right," the boy said, "I don't want to know."

And so, Sirius departed from the room.

* * *

As Hermione and Remy stood in the Entrance Hall, waiting to be called inside, the girl took advantage of the opportunity to study her new/old friend's appearance.

Remy was now undeniably taller. Before, even Hermione had been taller than her short friend, and now, Remy stood at least five inches taller than she was. He had a slender form obviously inherited from his Father, and stood in a self-confident position similar to his Dad's. The messy, short black hair now fell down to his mid-back on shiny waves, although Remy seemed to prefer keeping it on a pony tail. His previously emerald eyes were now sparkling, icy blue, unlike either of his fathers. When questioned about this, the adults - or, rather, Remus, since the Snapes hadn't come out of Severus's quarters by that time - had told them that Remy'd inherited them from his grandfather, Mathias Potter. Even though the disease had changed Severus's looks, it hadn't changed his genealogy, and thus, Remy still could inherit his original features.

Other than these differences, Remy looked very much the same. In fact, it was almost as if the looks he'd "inherited" from Lily had simply been replaced by those he'd got from Sirius. After all, James and Severus had been originally identical twins. And - although Hermione'd died rather than admitted it to anyone - Remy was now actually very good-looking in his own way.

Then, the door opened a bit, pushed open by Remus, who stood next to it on the other side. "We'll now Sort two students, one new, and one old," Dumbledore's voice bellowed from the Great Hall to their ears. "Miss Granger, Mister Snape, would you please step in?"

Taking a quick glance at each other, then both drawing a deep breath, the two stepped into the Hall.

In an instant, everyone's eyes were at them. Hermione's steps wavered a bit as she got wondering - and disappointed, from Ron's direction - glances from everyone. Remy, however, walked with his head proudly up, ignoring all whispers and glances.

They stopped to the front of the Hall, where Professor McGonagall already waited with the familiar little stool and the Sorting Hat. Her expression wavered a bit as she saw Remy, but not much. Some of the other teachers, however, were just as dumbstruck as most of the students.

"Hermione Granger," Professor McGonagall called out, and Hermione obediently walked forward to sit on the little stool. The Hat was put on her head.

'_Ah, nice to see you again_,' the Hat said with a bit dry tone. '_Not happy with what you got, eh?_'

'_No, I'm not,_' Hermione replied silently. '_I don't feel comfortable in Gryffindor, nor have I ever truly felt. Even in the beginning, others kept teasing me because, by their minds, I was too clever._'

'_Very well. Then, I think we'd better go with my original impression, and put you into..._'

"RAVENCLAW!" the Hat bellowed out for everyone to hear. Hermione took it away from her head, then stood, and walked to her new House table, her steps faltering just a little. The other Ravenclaws welcomed her with approving glances, well knowing her reputation as a clever girl, who sometimes outwitted even the professors. They knew that she'd only bring good to their House.

She firmly kept her eyes away from the Gryffindor table, where, she was sure, Ron was watching her closely.

"Remus Snape!" said McGonagall then, and everyone became watchful. Especially the Slytherins nailed their gazes at the boy who now disappeared under the Hat. If this boy truly held any relation to their Head of House, he'd surely be the pride of Slytherin, wouldn't he?

However, almost immediately after the Hat had been placed on the boy's head, it called out, "RAVENCLAW!" with an even louder voice than with which it'd announced Hermione's new House.

Taking the Hat away, Remy stood, ignoring the even louder whispers, and walked over to the Ravenclaw table to sit next to Hermione.

"Now that the Ravenclaw House has two new occupants," said the Headmaster said joyously, "I have a couple of other announcements to make. At first, as you all obviously know already, Harry Potter is no more among us. The magic of the Adoption Charm collided with his own unnaturally high level of magic, causing his sudden death."

A couple of Slytherins looked absolutely delighted. Then they started joyful chattering, oblivious to the sharp glances their Head of House gave them, obviously picking up faces for later handling. The other students, however, started to loudly fuss over the news, wondering about the Headmaster's cheerfulness despite this shock. Then a couple of them caught a glimpse of the lightning bolt scar under Remy's fringe, and even louder whispering took over the Hall.

"Also, Professor Black has requested that he'd be called by his official name," Dumbledore continued, his cheerfulness never faltering. "But as it'd obviously be too confusing to have to Professor Snapes around..."

"And the thickest Hufflepuffs wouldn't dare to go to their Charms lesson because of their fear of Professor Snape," murmured Remy to Hermione, who chuckled slightly.

"...We'll simply call him Professor Snape-Black from now on, as in difference from his husband. Now, let's eat!" As he said that, the food appeared to the tables. Nobody seemed to be very hungry, though. Everybody, excluding all three Snapes, Remus, and Hermione, was staring at Severus, Sirius, or Remy. Everyone's jaws were either hanging open or busy whispering to each other.

After a moment of this, Sirius's rather short patience was worn out. "Shut the hell up," he snapped to the whole Hall in general. Even without Sonorius, he was easily heard. "Yeah, I and Severus are married. Yeah, we have a son. So, big deal. Now, if somebody's not eating after five seconds, I'll owl their mothers and ask for their baby pictures, and then put them all around the school with names on."

After four seconds, everyone was starting to eat, although they every now and then stole glances to the Staff Table.

"Well, at least your Dad has some imaginative threats," Hermione said with a slight smirk.

"I must say so," Remy said dryly. "Although I'd prefer if he had some good brains instead."

"You know yourself that's not true," his friend scolded him. "Your Dad is actually a clever person, he just doesn't show it often."

"Yeah, whatever," Remy replied, shrugging and rolling his eyes towards the ceiling. Then, he started eating.

* * *

The next chapter:  
Ravenclaws are curious, Ron is furious.

VOTE:  
Should this be SLASH or HET on Remy's part? And who he should be involved with?

Also, I was serious about the decicating thing. The first person to get Remy's Animagus form right will get the whole story, starting from that chapter, decicated to themselves.  
No, Minna, you do not count. You know it already.


	6. New and Old Companions

Disclaimer: Not mine. I do own Benjamin and Samantha Green, though.

A/N: Hello people. ::deep breath::

Now, Remy's Animagus form is _not_ a raven, an eagle, an owl, a hawk, a falcon, a falcon owl, a black panther, tiger, griffin, or lion. Nor is he a snake or any bird of prey.

I'm not quite sure whether his final character is showing yet, or even whether I picked the animal by his character or his character by the animal... But, at least the picture I have of Remy fits perfectly his Animagus form.

Oh, and people have spoken. Many people voted for Blaise Zabini (either female or male). However, most votes got Hermione. Therefore, that's exactly what you are going to get - Remy/Hermione. I'm sorry if this disappoints some, but, well, you can't have everything, right?

* * *

Sixth Chapter

* * *

"So, are you really both of theirs?" asked somebody from Remy's left. He looked up and saw a fair-haired girl with dreamy blue eyes. "Or was that just kidding?"

"No, it was true," he replied. "If it wasn't, do you really think they'd make up a story like that for no seeming reason?"

"Well, you never know," replied the girl with a shrug. "I've heard more unbelievable things to come true. Did you know that the monster of Loch Ness is really Scotland's secret underwater Quidditch team training? They are going to demand that all League matches in Scotland have to be played on the bottom of the lake. That way, they'll have an extra benefit for practising it beforehand."

A true Snape can take almost anything short of an Unforgivable without losing their calm mask. Therefore, Remy, too, stayed relatively calm, even though he was gaping like a goldfish in his mind. "Excuse me?" he asked then from the girl, trying to act as calm as possible.

"Oh, don't care about her," said somebody from Hermione's right side. Remy looked up and saw Cho Chang - the girl he'd had a horrible crush on the previous year. As he now observed the girl, he couldn't imagine how he'd managed to fall for that cow. "She's just Luna Looney," continued the older witch. "Most of what she says is just weird tales, and the rest she's made up."

"But it's true!" argued the fair-haired girl. "And my name's Lovegood, not Looney. You daft." She glared at Chang for a moment, but then was off in her dreamland again, seemingly forgetting all about the other girl.

Remy glanced at Hermione and shook his head simultaneously with her. Obviously some Ravenclaws weren't quite as clever as their House would suggest.

"So," asked then a lithe, brown-haired boy opposite to Remy, "is your sudden appearance in any connection with Potter's disappearance, or did you get that scar by falling down the stairs?"

Remy snorted. "No, I didn't fall down the stairs," he said coolly. "Yes, I used to be Harry Potter. However, as the Adoption Charm that was set upon me has been removed, my previous personality is as good as dead. Therefore, the Headmaster didn't really lie as he told that Harry Potter is dead. It is some stretching of the terms, true, but it's still not a lie." A sharp glance around him ensured that he had everyone's attention before he continued, "However, no matter who I originally was, I'm now Remus Snape. Preferably Remy Snape. So, anybody making any references to my previous personality will suffer the consequences - especially as my Father surely wouldn't approve if you forgot the fact that I am _his_ son, not Potter's."

All the other Ravenclaws in hearing nodded, understanding. They weren't called the cleverest of all Houses for nothing. Then, the lithe boy opposite to Remy spoke again.

"I am Benjamin Green, a sixth year Prefect," the boy introduced himself. "You already met Luna Lovegood, and I'm sure that Cho Chang is familiar to you two even before." At this, he raised a suggestive eyebrow, earning a frown from Hermione and an icy glare from Remy. "And, as impressed as I am that both Granger, the one who always is on top of her class, and Professor Snape's son are here in my House, I must also say that I'm a bit surprised. Of course, Miss Granger here is famous amongst the other Houses, too, and it's quite obvious that she will fit our House perfectly. However, you seem to be quite a lot like your father. Why aren't you in Slytherin, then?"

"He's too intelligent for them," replied Hermione for him. "Perhaps you would like to give them a brief explanation of your theory as of why you still have that scar, Remy?"

And, of course, Remy started to talk on a rapid pace again. At first, everybody around them nodded sometimes, clearly listening eagerly to his every word. Then, one by one, all others started to become glassy-eyed. Remy didn't get even to the point about only James being under Fideliatus before Green raised his head in resignation, groaning aloud.

"Stop, please," he muttered. "I doubt even Rowena Ravenclaw herself could have put together that much twisted logic and still make some sense. It's quite obvious that you don't belong to any other House than ours."

"Well, I don't know," Hermione said, amusement flickering in her warm brown eyes. "It actually made much sense on the second time, you know. This time, I didn't have any problem following his train of thought."

"Then again, you are Granger," said a tiny girl from Green's left. "The first-year Ravenclaws have been told for the last four years that if a House could take the form of a human, you'd be the Ravenclaw House. Everyone was sure that your original Sorting to the Gryffindor House was a mere mistake."

Hermione actually blushed at this. Remy, however, merely raised an eyebrow and gave the girl a calculating glance. "And who are you, may I ask?" he asked coolly.

The girl shivered slightly under the Snape Gaze. Seemingly it wasn't only Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors who were terrified by the Potions Master, if even his son could make her scared. "My name's Samantha Green," she replied, obviously doing her best not to show her fear. "I'm Benjamin's little sister. Third year." At his disbelieving gaze, she continued, "You see, I know I'm tiny, okay? It isn't like I could help it. All I can do is to hope that I can become the Seeker once Chang retires - although if you are here, I most probably won't," she added shyly.

"That's not so sure," replied Remy calmly. "Most of my flying skills were there because of the Adoption Charm. Unless I've inherited some of my Dad's skills, I cannot be half as good a Quidditch player as I used to be. Alas, but I can't find myself caring very much. The game just doesn't seem as interesting as before."

"Oh!" The girl seemed to be surprised about the fact that he'd even bothered answering to her, leave alone seemed to be taking her seriously. A slight flush of enthusiasm rose to her cheeks as she said, "To me, it is indeed really interesting. No one in my family's really interested in it, though," she then said with a slight frown. "My broom is really old, and nobody can even teach me to play Quidditch properly, so I guess I cannot make it to the team in the tryouts."

"Well, my old broom should still be somewhere," said Remy smoothly. "I can ask my parents whether I can give it to you, as I probably won't have much to do with it during the rest of our school time. Maybe I could train you a bit, as well. I may not be the same flyer as I was before, but I'll be damned if I don't remember it all."

This time, the younger Green's eyes flew very wide in silent shock. "But - but how could I ever repay that to you?" she asked with a very tiny voice.

"Make it to the team," replied Remy, shrugging, "and win the Quidditch Cup for Ravenclaw. I'm kind of tired of it always being fought of between Gryffindors and Slytherins only. It's about the time we others got it as well, don't you think?"

"Yes, of course!" And with that, she started to wolf down her food as if trying to get outside and flying as soon as possible.

Benjamin Green eyed Remy attentively for a moment, but didn't say anything.

Hermione, however, did. "Thank you," she whispered, leaning nearer to him. "What you said to her was really kind."

"I meant every word," Remy murmured back under his breath, so quietly that only Hermione was able to catch his words. "I'd better try to get at least some good-willed base in my new House. Besides, I'm half Sirius's, remember? I suspect that that's what he'd done in a similar situation."

"He seems to think the same way," Hermione said with a smile, nodding towards the Staff Table. Remy turned to look at that direction, and saw both his parents looking at him. Quite obviously, they'd seen the whole scene. Severus raised an eyebrow with a tiny, amused curl of his lips, while Sirius nodded approvingly and flashed his most charming smile at his son.

As they'd eaten, Remy and Hermione took their time getting to the corridor. Remy was still stuck at the table as Samantha Green shyly asked something from him, so Hermione decided to go beforehand, following a couple of younger students to where she assumed their dormitories would be.

She hadn't even got properly to the corridor as somebody stepped in front of her. It was Ron. His expression was a mix of anger and disappointment, disappointment at her, to be exact.

"You didn't even talk with me before asking to be re-Sorted," the redhead spat fiercely.

"Look, Ron, I'm really sorry," sighed Hermione. "But it was kind of an act of a moment, I hadn't planned it beforehand. It just seemed to be the right thing to do."

"The right thing to do! You abandoned your House, for Merlin's sake! You abandoned _me_! How can it be the right thing to do? Gryffindor is where you belong, Hermione. That's where you have always been!"

"That's also where Remy used to be, and he isn't there anymore, either," she said, collecting some courage from the still existent Gryffindor part in her.

"And now it's 'Remy,'" said Ron, making a face. "At first, you skip classes to go talk with him - skip classes, Hermione! You never do that! - and the teachers even approve that. And now, you're following his lead out of your rightful House! What can be so fascinating in a _Snape_ that he makes you leave everything behind?" In the end of his speech, he grasped tightly Hermione's arm, his nails digging into her flesh, making her flinch in pain.

"Mister Weasley," said an icy voice behind them, "kindly remove your hands from my friend." Remy stood there, a group of other Ravenclaws, mostly from the four years below them - the older students had already left - standing behind him in the doorway to the Great Hall. Samantha Green was there, too, watching the scene with wide eyes.

"Well, she's my friend, too," replied Ron fiercely, turning around to face Remy. His hand never left Hermione's arm. "Or at least she was - until she decided to leave the entire House behind!"

"Ron, let me go," said Hermione pleadingly. "You know I've never been comfortable in Gryffindor. In the beginning, I was always teased - you should know, you were one of those who taunted me worst! And nowadays - I know what they talk behind my back. 'Teachers' pet,' they call me, or 'Miss Know-It-All.' All this because I happen to have some brains! At least now I'm with other people like me. They can accept me as I am, without all the time joking at my expense - unlike you!"

"What crap have you fed to her, Snape?"

"I've fed her nothing," replied Remy coolly. "She's been fed nothing but the dinner we just had, but if you want to know what it contained, you have to question the house-elves. I'd figure that they'll become very disappointed if you express your question in that way, though. Surely some... eh... _cleaning_ would be of use in your vocabulary?"

"Shut up," spat Ron. "I thought for a moment that you maybe could be something better than Snape, but quite obviously you aren't. You're just the same kind of a cold, unfeeling bastard as your father!"

Now, Remy gave him an icy glare very similar to those his father gave around in his class room. "It's your teacher you're insulting here, don't forget that," he said silkily.

"I don't give a fuck about teachers!" exclaimed Weasley, bouncing forward with his fist raised. It never made connection with its original goal, Remy's face, however. This was because Weasley was doubling over in pain, staggering away from Remy with fury in his eyes.

"Hey!" shouted a firm voice behind them. "No magic in the corridors!" As they turned around, they saw Sirius and Professor Sprout both coming nearer them, even more students following them to watch the scene.

"No magic was performed," said the raven-haired teen calmly. "I just kicked his stomach."

"Kicked his stomach?" echoed Sirius, sounding disbelieving. "Please, do explain yourself, young man."

Remy leant against the wall, looking very self-confident. "Weasley insulted me and Hermione, and physically attacked at first her and then me," he explained calmly. "I'm not denying what I did, but I claim it to be mere self-defence. He attacked me, I responded to his attack. It's not my fault if he cannot bear the consequences of his doings."

"Is this true?" asked Sirius, eyeing sharply everyone around.

At first, it looked as if nobody dared to say anything, Weasley's furious glare flying over them like a death warrant to the one who'd speak. Then, however, Samantha stepped forward. "That's true," she said quietly, squirming under both her Charms Professor's strict gaze and Weasley's threatening glare. "He just returned the kind in."

"Very well." The Animagus sighed and rolled his eyes towards the ceiling. "Can you be the judge in this matter, Pomona? I'd rather not be accused of favouring on the first day I actually have a son here."

"Of course. I don't think this situation needs a lot of judging, however." With a quick glance at everyone present, the Herbology Professor said, "Twenty points from Gryffindor for attacking a fellow student, Mister Weasley. And five points to Ravenclaw for undue bravery, Miss Green."

Little Samantha - well, not so little by her age, but by her size definitely - practically beamed. It was quite obvious that she rarely got her House any points. Then Weasley shot her one last deathly glare before leaving, however, and she squirmed under it.

"Well, that's one bloke you'd better keep clear of," Remy said to Samantha, frowning at Weasley's retreating back. "He only brings troubles, and I might say he wouldn't mind getting you into some trouble at the moment. Better stay away from him for a couple of days, that'll probably be enough for him to cool down."

"Right," said Samantha shyly.

"Oh, and Dad, before I forget," said Remy with a tone that clearly told that he'd never forget, "would you object if I gave my Firebolt to Samantha here? That particular sport just doesn't hold the same appeal to me as it used to, and she'd have much more use for it than I."

"Are you sure?" asked Sirius, frowning slightly.

"Of course I am sure," snorted the boy, rolling his eyes towards the ceiling. "And before you ask, yes, I did plan it before she stepped out on my defence. As I said, I can't just find the fascination of flying in myself anymore."

"Very well." Sirius shrugged slightly. "You are more like Severus in that matter, then. He never cared for flying, either." Then he glanced at Samantha. "Samantha Green, eh? Better remember that name. If I forget it, the fates will surely pay back to me by making you my daughter-in-law."

This made Samantha blush fiercely and lock her eyes at the floor, obviously at a loss of words. Just as well it made Remy forget his perfectly calm Snapish mask for a while and actually groan aloud. "Dad, would you stop, please?" he hissed in annoyance. "I promised to coach her, not date her!"

Sirius eyed him for a while, then, to everyone's great surprise, laughed aloud. "Truly you are more like Severus," he said, still chuckling slightly. "Now, on your way, kids. You want to be in your dormitories before it's dark and the Student-Eating Horrid Monster of the Ravenclaw Tower creeps out of its cave."

Making an unidentifiable sound somewhere between amusement and desperation, Remy turned around and swept towards the Ravenclaw Tower after some of the younger students, Hermione and Samantha right on his heels.

* * *

A/N: Aww, Remy got a new friend!

Next chapter:  
Your guess is as good as mine. I know that the Animagi forms are coming, but not for still a couple of chapters. So, suggestions?


	7. Secrets of Ravenclaw

Disclaimer: I don't own anything expect for any OCs.

A/N: I had lots of fun creating my own vision of the Ravenclaw Tower. I hope you'll like it, too.

Oh, and Remy's Animagus form is _not _Thestral, Fox, Sphinx, Dragon, Wolf, Crow, Chameleon, Coyote, Hummingbird, Jaguar, Lynx, Puma, Blue Herron, Lizard, Phoenix, Monkey, or any other of those suggested. As a hint I'll add that he's not a feline creature.

Somebody asked about there not being many votes for Remy/Hermione. So, well, I looked at the votes. True, Remy/Draco won. However, I COMPLETELY REFUSE making this Remy/Draco. Not that I wanted to offend you, for I don't. Not that I didn't like the pairing, for I do. Not that I didn't think Remy's new character doesn't fit Draco's personality, because it just might. However, far too many Severitus fics are pairing Harry and Draco (or make Harry befriend a bunch of Slytherins) just because he's Sev's son. So, my apologies for everyone who voted for that, but you'll just have to live with it... I guess. But but, VOTE MORE!

At the moment, I'm just writing them as I think they should be and seeing where that goes... Maybe slash, for that's gotten a couple of votes more, but on the other hand, it wouldn't be sensible if everyone was gay. So, prepare for about anything - and vote, you just might affect my decisions.

* * *

Seventh Chapter

Secrets of Ravenclaw

* * *

"Student-Eating Horrid Monster of the Ravenclaw Tower?" echoed Remy as they walked towards the aforementioned Tower. "Now, _that's_ something I haven't heard before."

"Not many have," said Samantha. "It's a tale they always tell to first-year Ravenclaws. I'd suppose that the teachers know about it, too."

"Well, we are on our first year in Ravenclaw," Hermione pointed out with a slight smile. "So, please, enlighten us about this tale."

"Okay!" Drawing a deep breath, the tiny girl launched into a story. "Deep under the Ravenclaw Tower, there are the Ravenclaw Dungeons. They used to be a place for peaceful studying, secret meetings, and lonely sulking. Every Ravenclaw had some reason to visit the dungeons regularly. Nobody outside out House knows about them, except for the teachers - and nobody else ever will.

One day, about twenty years ago, however, there was nobody in the dungeons. Or, if there was someone, at least they haven't come up to tell what happened. Anyway, a boy named Matthew Skinner went down there to fetch his broom - by that time, the Ravenclaw Quidditch team kept their brooms in the dungeons safe from sabotage, and he was the Keeper of the team."

Samantha made a dramatic pause, glancing around to see her companions' expressions. As she saw that Hermione was eagerly listening and even Remy looked vaguely interested - the greatest reaction she'd ever get from any Snape - she went on. "Matthew never came back... he just disappeared. There was blood on the floor on the bottom of the stairway leading to the dungeons. The teachers used all possible charms and spells to scan the area, but not a sign of the Keeper was to be seen. Instead, the scans showed something else in the dungeons - something that shouldn't have been there, something that wasn't a human. To ensure that no more damage could be done, the Headmaster decided to seal the corridor leading to the dungeons. Not even ghosts can go down there. Nobody knows what exactly is in the dungeons, so we just call it the Student-Eating Horrid Monster of the Ravenclaw Tower."

For a moment, they walked forward in a comfortable silence, each pondering the story in their minds. Suddenly, the silence was broken by an unannounced intruder.

"You're not serious," said a tall, blond boy who'd appeared to their side from seemingly nowhere. "I mean, yeah, you're almost as weird as Lovegood, but really, Green, have you lost even the little of your senses you had left? They're fifth-years, not some ickle first-years. Why do you tell them some stupid fairy tales?"

"In fact," said Hermione calmly, "I wouldn't be so sure that it's just a fairy tale. Or an urban legend, if you prefer that term."

The blond boy gave her a disbelieving gaze. "Seemingly the stories about your intelligence were just as much fairy tales," he spat.

"I in fact agree with her." Now, the blond's attention was drawn to Remy, who was the one who'd spoken, his tone level and self-confident. "This story lacks the usual telltale signs of an urban legend."

"Those usually happen to an unidentifiable person, in an unidentifiable place, and at an unidentified time. The events cannot be proven true or false, and there is no way to search for extra knowledge," Hermione explained.

"This happened on a more or less specific time and in an exact place. Not even a long time ago, so about anybody can easily reach people who can tell them the truth. The person in the story has a name, and not only that - he was also a Keeper, so many people are bound to have known him. Also, a student disappearing is surely something that would have been recorded in newspapers, too."

"Are you telling me that you actually _believe_ her?" the strange boy asked. Obviously he didn't think that wise.

"I'm merely giving her the benefit of doubt," the darkhaired boy said coolly. "After I've spoken with my parents about their possible memories of the events, I'll decide whether I actually believe the story. Now, _please_ remove yourself from our way before I'm forced to help you in the task."

The blond boy opened his mouth to say something. However, as had been proved before, just like Severus could scare any student and most of the teachers with a single glance, his son's glare had just the same effect. Therefore, the intruder of their peace was left to stare after them as they continued their walk.

"Were you really serious?" asked Samantha as soon as they were out of the earshot. "I mean, do you actually believe that it might be true? I do, but most just say that it's a test, and anyone who believes it should really be in Hufflepuff."

"Of course I was serious," replied the boy smoothly. "I don't believe in lies, not even white ones."

"So if somebody asks for your opinion about, say, their cooking, and it was awful, you'd say that right away?" Hermione questioned with a slight smile.

"That's what you call diplomacy," Remy said without batting an eyelid. "I wouldn't lie. I would just be diplomatic and say that it was good."

"And what's the difference between diplomacy and white lies?" Samantha inquired with a slight smile.

"The name, Samantha, it's the name," Hermione informed the younger witch. I'd figure that he's got that desire to play with the meanings of words from his Slytherin father."

"Most probably," Remy said with a shrug and a slight smirk. "At least my Gryffindor father only tends to play with the appearances of words, I've come to notice." Then he locked his brilliant sapphire eyes on Samantha. "Who was that bloke, anyway?" he asked.

"Jimmy Crow," the girl replied. "A sixth-year idiot. Nobody with sense in their head likes him, but he's rather skilled in licking up to those who are important - or, at least, those he thinks are important. Maybe he thinks you are, maybe not, I don't know. Anyway, I know for certain that he doesn't think _I_ am important."

"Then we should change that fact, shouldn't we?" Remy suggested casually.

"What do you mean?" Samantha shot her eyes right up to his face, which was well above her own head.

"I mean that Quidditch stars are usually considered popular, are they not?" the boy explained. "As it is so, we have to train you into one."

"You cannot just decide to be a Quidditch star, no matter how much you like it," said Samantha, frowning slightly. "If you don't have talents, it's impossible to get to the top."

"But I do suspect that you have talents," Remy said, obviously trusting her skills. Then, he asked, "Is it still a long way to our Tower?"

"What?" asked Samantha, seemingly startled. "Oh, no. It's just around the corner."

And truly, right around the corner there was a statue of a witch sitting with a book in her lap. As they approached her, she asked, "Password?"

"Knowledge is power," replied Samantha, and the witch instantly moved aside, revealing an archway. As the three stepped through the archway, they soon found themselves in Ravenclaw Common Room.

It was quite different from the Gryffindor Common Room. Instead of red and gold, everything was blue and copper, with the slight touch of black, white, and silver here and there. The ceiling was charmed in a way similar to that of the Great Hall, although it was showing just twinkling stars and a crescent moon, even though it wasn't that late yet. The curtains on the sides of the high, narrow windows were deep blue velvet with tiny, twinkling starlike objects attached to them. The furniture seemed light, and it was made of deep brown oak and dark blue silk. There was a thick rug on the floor, similar twinkling objects hidden in the weave. Elegant silvery candles were casting an eerie light to the room, as opposed to the warm lightness of the Gryffindor Common Room and the wavering torch lights of the Slytherin one.

"Most Ravenclaws like stars," explained Samantha with a slight grin as she saw the expressions on their faces. "We are even excused from the usual Astronomy lessons, because we can study most of it here, in our Common Room. Professor Sinistra was a Ravenclaw, too. The ceiling is charmed to show everything on the sky, except the sun - that's why it's always like night here."

"It's beautiful," Hermione said truthfully, glancing up to the ceiling. "I think I will greatly enjoy my time here in Ravenclaw," she then continued.

"Oh, I believe you will." Glancing at them, Samantha then asked, "Where are you planning to sleep, anyway? I don't know if there's a spare bed in Benjamin's dormitory -" this to Remy, "but there's at least one in my dormitory." The last statement was directed at Hermione.

"Aren't you in the dormitories by your year?" asked Hermione curiously.

"Oh, no," the youngest of them said with a little laugh. "That's ridiculous by my mind - I simply can't understand how the students in the other Houses submit to that kind of sorting. No, we simply pick a comfortable dormitory in the beginning of the year, and the sleeping arrangements can be changed even during the year, although that rarely happens. That way, friends or siblings can sleep in the same dormitory, even if they aren't on the same year." Just then, she saw an approaching figure in one of the doorways of the Common Room. "Oi, Benjamin! Where do you think Remy could sleep?" She was seemingly no more as shy as she'd originally been, although Remy was certain he could still scare her out of her skin with a single glare and an eyebrow raised in the right way.

"In my dormitory, seemingly," the older Green replied, "as it's the only one with a spare bed, and a trunk with the initials 'RAMS' has appeared to the end of it. Be careful, though," he then said in mock seriousness, turning towards the other young wizard. "There are people in our dormitory who will kick you out even in the middle of the night, Snape's son or not, if you start explaining your theories. I _know_ there's some logic behind them, but I'd rather not get a headache trying to figure out what it is."

"I'll keep that in mind," replied Remy just as seriously, but allowing the corners of his lips curl slightly as a sign of amusement. "Very well, then. Could I bother you to show me to our dormitory, or will I have to figure that out myself as a way to prove my intelligence?"

"I think I can show you there just fine," chuckled Benjamin. "And you're taking care of our newest lady friend, right, little sister?" he asked then.

"So I'd figure," replied Samantha. "Come on, Hermione. I'll show you to our dormitory."

So, they parted to separated stairways. As the two girls climbed up the stairs, Samantha spoke. "I take it you're familiar with the basic way these stairways work, right? We can go to the boys' dormitories, but they can't come to ours?" As Hermione nodded, she continued, "Well, we girls in Ravenclaw have made some adjustments. A boy can indeed climb up these stairs without being harmed - if they come between two and seven pm. And have chocolate and/or flowers with them. If they've insulted a girl, they have to walk the stairs backwards, chanting 'I'm sorry for every mistake I've ever made.' Oh, and on any holidays, including St. Valentine's day, they either have to also have a little gift with them or wear a bunny suit. If they stay after seven pm, they are flung rather forcefully out of both the dormitory and the stairway. As you can imagine, if the boy bothers visiting you, he's quite obviously serious with it," she added with a slight smirk.

"Interesting," said Hermione, a slight smile adorning her lips also. "Interesting, indeed, and quite impressive. That would require adjusting all wards on the stairways!"

"That's why it's so funny - it's so challenging," said Samantha, still smirking. After they'd walked past a couple of floors, she stopped on one doorway to yet another floor. "Here's my dorm - and now yours," the tiny girl said, opening the first door to left.

As soon as Hermione stepped inside, she found herself at a loss of words. "Wow," was all she could say. She'd always thought that the Gryffindor dormitories were rather comfortable, but this was something wholly else. The windows didn't have a sight of the school grounds from high above, as those in her former dormitory. Instead, they showed her the Hogwarts lake - underneath the surface. Little fishes swam past the glass, sometimes touching it slightly, and a dim light through the water mixed with the candle light familiar from the Common Room and the stairway. The beds weren't like those four-poster ones she'd got used to - these didn't have posts at all, or even headboards. The beds were just simple planes floating in the air, with just as magically attached velvet curtains in the air around them. There were no canopies in the beds, allowing a clear view of the starry sky that was the ceiling.

The most impressive detail, however, was the broad waterfall in the other end of the room. It fell from the joint of the charmed ceiling and the deep blue walls, falling to the floor, where there was a large pool. A girl was just swimming in the pool, glancing up at them as they stepped inside.

"The walls of the pool are also charmed to show the lake," explained Samantha, seemingly pleased at her amazement about the room. "You cannot drown there - if you're too long under the surface, the security spells will immediately lift you from the water."

"Unbelievable," said Hermione quietly. "This is unbelievable, and more than a bit unfair."

"Oh, no," said a girl sitting on a nearby bed. She grinned slightly at Hermione. "A long time ago, these used to be just the same way as the dormitories of the other Houses. Our Common Room was much more similar to those, too. However, the ancient Ravenclaws started researching spells that would make our surroundings more comfortable. All this is students' work, not teachers' or even the founders'. If the other Houses don't have the same luxury, well, it's their problem. It's we who renew all the spells every year, the older students sharing their knowledge with the younger ones." Getting up from her bed, she walked to Hermione. "It's truly pleasant to meet you," she said, smiling a bit. "My name is Mallory Grate. I hope you will enjoy yourself in Ravenclaw."

"I have a feeling," started Hermione, glancing around her new dormitory, "I have a feeling I will." With that glance, she spotted one seemingly untouched bed. "HJG," read the initials on the trunk at the nearest end of the bed. A further glance showed her again the waterfall, the charming underwater world seemingly behind the windows, and the lovely, starry night that twinkled down at her from the ceiling. And before she even noticed, she was already pondering whether there was a way to make the waterfall cast some more light to the dim dormitory.

Suddenly, she felt like she'd done just the right decision. '_Fuck Ron_,' she thought, resorting to cursing against all her usual manners. '_This is exactly where I belong_.'

* * *

The next chapter: **Student-Eating Horrid Monster of the Ravenclaw Tower**

Remy asks his parents about the Ravenclaw tale, and Samantha does something she really shouldn't even think about doing.


	8. The Morning After

Disclaimer: I only own a few people, places and theories here and there. Everything else is JKR's.

A/N: So, I _again_ changed my plans (see _For Our Parents Willed So_ for another changed plan). And why? Because this chapter would have gotten too long otherwise! So, just something to set the scenes, and then (hopefully) some real discoveries in the next chapter. Oh, and that bit about "Samantha doing something she really shouldn't be doing" will be pushed away with a couple of chapters. At first, I have to start describing Remus's romantical involvements.

Now, there are about as many votes for Remy/Herm as for Remy/Sam. Right now, I'm myself leaning more towards Remy/Sam, but I might still change my mind.

And, Remy's Animagus form is _not_ a dog, a dragon, a stag, a wolf, a unicorn, a fox, or an elf (is that even an animal?) So, nobody has guessed right. Yet. (And Minna, you still don't count. I'm saying this just to piss you off, although you'll probably rip my ears off at school after you've read this.) I'm now putting more and more into Remy's character, as well as dropping (very stuble, by my mind) hints about what the animal could be. Or at least the animal's character.

* * *

Eighth Chapter

The Morning After

* * *

The morning found the Ravenclaw Tower quiet, but well awake. For a moment the starry sky of the ceilings was replaced by a bright sunrise that woke all occupants of the Tower.

Remy squirted his eyes half-open as the bright light woke him. Stretching himself, he glanced around the dormitory - his bed curtains, as well as those of the other beds, had opened themselves. Everybody was still sitting on their beds - except Julian Watson, a first-year and the youngest of their dormitory, who'd the previous night seemed rather hyperactive by Remy's mind. Now the young wizard was proving him right, digging through his trunk and obviously doing his best not to bounce up and down. Yawning at the mere thought of being so energetic, Remy slid off his bed.

The boys all got washed and clothed in a morning-sleepy silence. Only once James Kilroy, a tall and well-muscled seventh-year, glanced murderously at Julian, who was at the moment whistling cheerfully, and muttered something like "bloody Pepper-Up junkie" and "ought to be killed" under his breath. Remy would have smirked, if he only hadn't been so tired. As he was, however, very tired, he just yawned slightly.

Seemingly he had inherited his Dad's morning-sleepiness, which he'd well come to know when he'd spent half of the summer - as Harry Potter, of course - with Sirius and Remus. It had been really irritating to drag the Animagus out of his bed every morning, true, but even more irritating it had been to put up with Remus, who'd always woken up at five o'clock, cheery, bright, and expecting everybody else to be just the same. Much like young Julian, in fact. Remy was rather sure that it was only for the better to be sleepy in the morning, since morning people were bound to be brutally murdered at one point of their life.

Some of his sleepiness had already shaken away as he was wholly clothed. "Do you know what you will have today?" asked Benjamin then.

"No, I don't," replied Remy. "I'd figure I'll find out eventually."

"Well, at least you'll have DADA at first," said Tom Watson, Julian's big brother on the fifth year, who thankfully wasn't as much a morning person as his younger brother. "After that, we all have double Potions, but after that it's the time for Arithmancy and such."

"Well, I still have time to figure that out," said Remy, shrugging. "Although I do hope I don't have to go by Potter's choices. He had _Divination_, for Merlin's sake!"

At this, the boys all laughed. Seemingly they all shared Remy's feelings about the subject in question.

After gathering their things, the boys made their way to the Common Room, where they met Hermione and the other girls in her dormitory. Samantha was busy explaining something to the older witch.

"...And when everybody has left the dormitories, the ceilings will go back to normal," she ended the explanation. "Rest of the time, it's just stars."

"Very interesting," said Remy dryly. To his great satisfaction, the tiny girl spun around in surprise and blushed slightly. "Would you accompany us to the breakfast, miladies?"

"Brat," snorted Hermione, while Samantha's blush deepened and the other girls giggled, flushing as well. "I should have known that your behaviour yesterday was too good to be true."

"You're insulting me, milady," replied Remy calmly, raising his eyebrow. "I'm horrified, I truly am. Is it truly so bad to be polite?"

"Polite, no, that's just fine," Hermione said dryly. "An insufferable brat, yes, that's bad. You _could_ be like either of your fathers. But no, that's not enough for Mister Snape - you just _have_ to take the worst of them both and twist it all together, don't you?"

"You see right through me, milady," said the boy with a smirk. "Now, shall we go to nourish ourselves?"

"Okay," replied his friend, rolling her eyes towards the ceiling. "And if you say 'milady' once more, I swear I will slap you."

They went in one large group through the statue of a witch guarding their tower, chattering all the way to the Great Hall. Hermione was greatly enjoying herself. At last she could say anything she thought of, and not be afraid of the others not understanding! And Remy - well, he was right in his natural element, witty, sarcastic, and still polite. As Hermione watched her friend on their way to the breakfast, she noticed that the boy walked a lot like Draco Malfoy did most of the time; he looked like he owned the whole school. Obviously he wasn't afraid of anything, an attitude that was an interesting combination of his Father's well-controlled mask and his Dad's self-confident Gryffindor spirit.

As they entered the Great Hall, Hermione caught rather many girls' eyes flickering towards them. At first, she didn't understand the reason, but then she noticed where these glances were directed. At Remy, to be exact. Well, maybe he was kind of good-looking with his long, black hair - now on a ponytail, just like the previous day - tall form (at least for his age) and sparkling blue eyes. But, it was no reason to almost _drool_ over one's plate. Like some girls seemed to be doing.

They had hardly even got to their seats in the Ravenclaw table as Professor Flitwick, who was now their Head of House, hurried to them. "Here are your timetables, Mister Snape, Miss Granger," he said happily, handing them the pieces of parchment. "As we weren't quite sure what classes you would be taking, Mister Snape, your parents picked what they thought would be fitting. Of course you can still change those choices. Oh, and I believe you'll go to purchase the needed text books this afternoon," the tiny wizard added then.

"Thank you," Remy said politely, glancing down at the timetable. He had Arithmancy instead of Divination now, and Ancient Runes was also one of his classes now. Care of Magical Creatures had disappeared, however. The Duelling Club was still on its previous place, though - very good, since it had become really interesting when Dumbledore had decided to start it again, making Sirius, Severus, and Remus take turns in teaching. "I don't think I have to change anything," he said then to Professor Flitwick, who nodded happily and returned to the Staff Table.

"What do you have?" asked Hermione, glancing over his shoulder. "Oh, we have all the same lessons! Neither of us is in Care of Magical Creatures, even."

"And I'm glad about that," said Remy, shuddering. "All those slimy, biting, or spiky animals - what a nightmare!" And to that, Hermione agreed wholeheartedly. Samantha, however, disagreed - it turned out that Care of Magical Creatures was one of her favourite subjects, even though she wasn't particularly fond on the teacher. This, of course, led into a heated dispute between Remy and the tiny girl, who seemed to again forget her shyness completely as she concentrated on the discussion. Hermione sometimes protected Hagrid halfheartedly with a word or two, knowing that while the half-giant was really the kindest and most friendly person one could find, his skills as a teacher were rather so-so.

So, after the breakfast, Hermione and Remy bid their goodbyes to Samantha, and walked together to the DADA classroom. Remus greeted them with a slight nod as they settled down on two free seats in the right front corner of the classroom. After all the students were in, their werewolf professor eyed them all.

"Today, we'll have a look at a more advanced defensive spell," said Remus then. "To be exact, the Patronus Charm. Does anybody know what is a Patronus?"

Opposed to what she was used to in the Gryffindor lessons, Hermione saw several hands shot up around the classroom, her and Remy's included. After glancing over the whole class, Remus nodded at one of the girls near the back of the classroom.

"The Patronus Charm produces a defensive figure, often an animal, that protects its creator," the girl replied. "This charm is commonly used only against Dementors and Lethifolds."

"Excellent. Five points to Ravenclaw," said Remus, seemingly not surprised at all that somebody knew this. "Now, can any of you cast a Patronus?"

Remy snorted slightly, then raised his hand. Of course he did; even if his appearance and character had changed, he still could very well cast a Patronus - it was a learnt skill, after all, not a natural talent. Upon receiving a nod from their DADA teacher, Remy drew his wand, seemed to concentrate for a moment, and then said, "_Expecto Patronum_."

In an instant, a strange, silvery mist started to spread from his wand point. After a moment the mist stopped spreading further and started to take shape instead. Hermione leant forward, expecting to see the familiar silver stag.

To her great surprise, however, the mist gathered into a smaller shape. After a moment, a wonderful bird circled around Remy's head, every now and then slightly stroking his head with the tip of its wing. '_A phoenix_,' realized Hermione in amazement. Then, with one last graceful dive, the bird disappeared into thin air.

Remy looked slightly surprised as well, and so did Remus. After a moment, he just said, "I - thank you, Mister Snape. Ten points to Ravenclaw. Now, everyone, read the chapter about Patronuses from your text books, and start practising. I'll give ten House points for every successful Patronus in the end of this lesson."

So, they got to work. Hermione thankfully managed to get her own Patronus, so she didn't have to feel worse than her friend. The silvery owl pecked her cheek before vanishing. It felt like a ghost's touch.

When the lesson had ended - with half of the students actually succeeding with the Patronus, something that would have never happened with Gryffindors - Remus looked for a moment like he'd wanted to talk with them - or, more exactly, Remy. Then, however, he just nodded, sending them to their next class, which was Potions.

Severus was his own, sharp self in Potions. He didn't seem to single Hermione out as the know-it-all of the class anymore, however - half of the class was Hufflepuffs, true, but the other half was Ravenclaws - and he actually called her work excellent, something he'd never have done to a Gryffindor. Remy, of course, shone in the class. He did everything perfectly right, and with an almost superhuman accuracy and skill. There was no doubt whether he'd inherited his Father's talents. Nobody protested or talked about favouring when Severus gave Ravenclaw twenty points as he saw his son's potion, saying that it was the best batch of the particular potion he'd ever seen a student brew - they all saw that it was indeed perfect.

Unlike Remus, however, Severus did ask Remy to stay after the class. As Hermione hesitated on the door of the classroom, the Potions Master just nodded at her, then said, "Stay, Miss Granger. Please, close the door." As she'd done that, Severus turned towards his son. "I see you've settled comfortably to your new House," he said dryly.

"You could say that," said Remy, shrugging. "Professor Flitwick said we'd go to buy my new books today, is that right?"

"Exactly," the man said, nodding. "You, I, and Sirius are all excused from the rest of our classes - courtesy of the Headmaster. Yes, Miss Granger can come, too," he said, rolling his eyes towards the ceiling, before Remy even got his mouth wholly open. "Filius told us you were fine with the changes we made to your timetable."

"I am," the boy agreed. "You even had sense to drop that insufferable Divination."

Severus actually chuckled, something that Hermione had never heard from him before. "I just didn't want to give Sybil the satisfaction of telling me that my son would die in a horrible accident involving Potions classroom and a Grim," he said. "Go put your books away, both of you. We'll meet you in the Entrance Hall in half an hour, we'll then walk to Hogsmeade and Floo to the Diagon Alley."

"Fine with me." Remy nodded and turned around to walk away, but stopped as his father again called after him.

"Remy, about the money in the Potters' vault," the Potions Master started. "You're not a Potter anymore, that much is sure. However, by the time Lily and James died, you were. As you were wholly adopted and the only heir, all the money is indeed yours. As I and your Dad are taking care of your expenses, you can use it as you please - in the boundaries of common sense, of course," he then added, as a glint dangerously reminiscent of Remy's Dad appeared into the boy's eyes.

"Of course, Father," the boy replied smoothly. "I wouldn't even dream about doing otherwise."

However, as they were out of sight, he smirked slightly and raised his eyebrow at Hermione, who replied with a slight smile. Maybe he indeed had inherited some of the mischievousness of his Dad, even if he didn't have the goofiness that Sirius sported.

The day seemed to be looking up by all means. Her mind light and happy, Hermione started to walk towards the Ravenclaw Tower beside her friend.

* * *

The next chapter (again, hopefully): **Student-Eating Horrid Monster of the Ravenclaw Tower**

Remy asks his parents about the Ravenclaw tale.


	9. The StudentEating Horrid Monster of Rave

Disclaimer: JKR owns most of them. I only own a couple of OCs, and the plot.

A/N: ::deep breath:: Oo-kay... So, Remy's Animagi form is _not_...

Phoenix, demiguise, runespore, raven, stag, cat, ant, mouse, centipede, flea, wallaby, kangaroo, hare, rabbit, bear, possum, platypus, fish, whale, killer whale, ass, donkey, quail, dodo, wombat, zebra, horse, cyote, veela, snail, lobsteror other crustation, thylacene, elephant, pigeon, jackle, octopus, iguarna, dinosaur, tiger, Thestral, Fox, Sphinx, Dragon, Wolf, Crow, Chameleon, Coyote, Hummingbird, Jaguar, Lynx, Puma, Blue Herron, Lizard, Monkey, any canine or feline creature, anything found in the MCaWtFT, eagle, falcon, hawk, or any other bird of prey, any snake or... I think that about covered it.

Now, another rule: Guess only ONE form at time, or up to THREE, but only if you can give some reasonings for your guess. One day somebody will probably just write down any animal they can think of, and that wouldn't do, now would it? So, if you give more than three guesses, or more than one without proper reasonings, I'll only pick the suitable amount to tell whether or not they're correct. And believe me, I would _not _pick the possible correct one.

And now that that's in control, on with the story...

* * *

Ninth Chapter

Student-Eating Horrid Monster of the Ravenclaw Tower

* * *

Remy and Hermione made their way to the Ravenclaw Tower, where they went to their dormitories to put their books away and fetch their cloaks and money bags. Soon they again met each other in the Common Room. Remy had got there first, and he was looking up to the starry sky as Hermione came down the stairs.

"Ready to go, then?" asked Remy with his usual slight smirk.

"Don't I look like that?" asked Hermione back. "And if you _dare_ to say, 'milady,' I truly swear I will hex you."

"I wouldn't even dream of that, Mistress."

"Brat," huffed Hermione, then rolled her eyes and followed her friend out of the Common Room.

Severus and Sirius were already waiting for them in the Entrance Hall. Not wasting any time to needless chatter, Severus simply walked to the large doors of the castle, starting to lead their group so naturally that he seemed to be born to do just that.

They had just started to walk over the school grounds as Remy turned towards his fathers. "Now, Samantha told us the tale of the Student-Eating Horrid Monster of the Ravenclaw Tower," Remy told them. "You should have been at Hogwarts at the time it was all told to happen. So, tell me, did you know Matthew Skinner? Is the tale true?"

To his great surprise, his fathers exchanged almost anxious glances. "Yes," said Severus very slowly. "It is indeed true."

"Father?" asked Remy, frowning. "What's wrong?" He couldn't recall ever seeing his Father uneasy, not in all the years he'd known him. However, there was no mistaking the expression the Slytherin had on his face.

"Remy," said Sirius quietly, avoiding his gaze. "Remember when we told you that Remus and James were together ever since our fifth year?"

Remy nodded slowly, indeed remembering that. "And what does that have to do with anything?" he asked sharply, although his mind had already come up with not a few possibilities. None of the possibilities was pleasant.

"They didn't get together until then because Remus already had a boyfriend," Sirius said with a sigh. "Matthew Skinner, to be exact. For all I could tell, they loved each other very much - not as much as Remus and James, but a lot. That brought them together, in fact - James was the one who comforted Remus as he cried for Matthew. They grew closer in the process, and, well, it developed further, and by the end of the fifth year, they started their relationship."

"How sad," breathed Hermione. "That must have been a really bad shock to him, to Remus, I mean. To have lost his both boyfriends in such a rude way!"

"Indeed it was a shock," replied Sirius grimly. "He didn't do much but cried for a week after Matthew's death. And after James's death, well, I don't really know about that time, but he most probably didn't take that lightly."

"He didn't," confirmed Severus with a just as grim expression as that of his husband. "I was there -- we were the only ones left of our group of friends, after all. Even though nobody knew about it, Remus spent most of his time before coming to Hogwarts at our house -- of course only after Dumbledore had vouched for me and got me free from Azkaban," he added gravely. "The couple of weeks before that, well, I don't know where he was, nor do I know how he stayed alive."

"There's something I've wanted to ask you, by the way," said Hermione with a slight frown. "If you and Remus were all the time friends in the backside, why did you tell everyone that he was a werewolf in the end of our third year? And as he wasn't fired but resigned, why did he come back this year?"

The Slytherin sighed. "At first, you must understand that I did not know that Sirius was innocent," he said quietly. "Of course I didn't want to believe that from him -- who would want to think that their loved one is a traitor? -- but I really didn't see any other options. And, just like Remus thought, he would have had a motive -- Sirius was always rather passionate in any feelings, and I couldn't know whether his anxiousness about not having little Remus with us could have overcome even his love for his best friend." Both youngs nodded in understanding, and Sirius placed an assuring hand on his husband's shoulder. So, Severus continued, "You're both very smart young people, and I would do wrong if I lied to you. Lord Voldemort would like nothing as much as one of his loyal servants as the Defence Against Dark Arts Professor -- me or somebody else." With a dry chuckle, he commented, "Although I don't think I'm on his list of loyal servants anymore."

"I should think not," Sirius noted dryly. "Go on."

Severus did as he'd been told. "So, as I knew something that could have got Remus fired, I had to tell the Slytherins in order to keep up my Death Eater facáde. That's one of the reasons. The other, well, it was Sirius. I had spent too many years hating him for something I thought he'd done to be ready to accept the news of his innocence. I wanted nothing as much as have him properly punished -- by my mind, it was wholly his fault that I didn't have my son with me anymore, as it was because of his supposed crime that he had remained with those Muggles as Harry Potter. Remus believed him, however. That difference, and the fact that he defended Sirius against my accusations, spoiled our friendship for some time. So, he decided that he'd rather go and be on Order work than stay in Hogwarts with a friend who was mad at him. And as of why he returned this year, well, we'd already come to peace, and Dumbledore was immediately ready to hire both him and Sirius to fill the free openings in the staff." With a sharp glance at his husband's direction, he added, "Although I do think that there would have been better candidates for the Charms position."

"Don't be so harsh, Severus," chuckled Sirius. "And I _am_ a fully qualified Charms Master, after all, just like you're a Potions Master and Remus is a DADA Master. The fact that I'm in Order, your husband, and Dumbledore's friend were just pleasant little additions to that."

"Merlin help us all," muttered Remy. "_You_ are a Charms Master? I'd rather think that _Peeves _is a qualified teacher than you!"

"Thanks for having such faith in your carrier," replied the Gryffindor dryly. "Yes, I am indeed a qualified teacher. You need to find other excuses if you want me fired."

"I wouldn't even try," muttered Remy. "Father would only get me killed for taking away the only person around whom he can shag."

"Language, young man," snorted Severus, "and some tact, if I may ask that much."

"Anyway..." A mischievous twinkle lit up in Remy's eyes, making him suddenly look like some horrifying mix of both of his fathers and the Headmaster. "Would you teach us to become Animagi?"

"Merlin forbid that," muttered Severus. Even Sirius frowned, looking a bit unsure.

"But you should," argued the teen, momentarily forgetting his Snapish mask in favour of waving his hands around in the air just like Sirius. "Just think what advantages it could give us in a battle! And don't try to tell me that there won't be any battles," he added with a sharp glance to Sirius, who'd just opened his mouth. "Voldemort is still at large, now more than ever. We're in a war now, and we should be prepared for that. Harry Potter or Remus Snape, I'm still the Boy Who Lived, like this scar proves, and therefore, there's no way I could avoid those battles. And Hermione, being my closest friend, is also bound to be involved in those."

"He's right, you know," Hermione said quickly before either of the adults had time to response. "The way things are currently going, we have no way to know whether being Animagi might save our lives one day."

"Neither do you have a way to know whether the Ministry'll take you to Azkaban for being unregistered Animagi," Severus pointed out dryly.

"Who said we're going to be unregistered?" asked Remy, raising his eyebrow. His hands had calmed down, and he looked again very Snapish.

"Where's the fun of it if you're registered?" Sirius muttered. As both his son and husband sent sharp glares to his direction, he raised his hands defensively. "Don't you get so pissed off," he said. "I cannot help what I am!"

Hermione smiled. "Like father, like son," she muttered quietly, thus earning the sharp glares of all Snapes -- Sirius included -- at herself. Flashing her sweetest smile, she asked, "Now, will you teach us, or shall we find out the way ourselves? Of course that'd be much more dangerous, as there surely is a reason why all Animagi should be registered, but..."

Sirius raised his hands again, this time in defeat. "I surrender," he sighed.

Then, with a warning tone, Severus added, "But if either of yours grades go down because of the Animagus studies --"

"No worry, really," said Hermione, rolling her eyes.

"You forget that technically, I don't have grades that could go down," said Remy with a smirk. "And if you mean Potter's grades, well, the only way is up. The only decent grade he has is in DADA."

"Not my fault," commented Hermione. "I was always telling him to study more, but did he listen to me? No. He never listened, and look where he got himself!" It felt weird by her mind to talk about Harry like he was dead, with her friend walking next to her, but she knew very well that in reality, Harry was as good as dead. Remy wasn't him, not in any way -- other than being the Boy Who Lived.

"True enough," snorted Severus. "Now, I do believe we're starting to get there." The others didn't notice until now that they'd come all the way to Hogsmeade while talking. They now headed to the Three Broomsticks. From there they quickly Flooed to the Diagon Alley.

"Professor Snape!" exclaimed Tom as the Potions Master appeared to the Leaky Cauldron. "And Professor Black! What are you doing here? And who's the lad?" he then asked suspiciously, eyeing Remy with a wondering expression.

"Professor Snape-Black, Tom, if you could," said Sirius cheerfully. Then, despite his son's icy glare, he placed a hand on the youngest Snape's shoulder. "And this is our son, Remy Snape."

Tom the barkeeper wasn't the only one whose eyes practically popped out of his head. Most of the customers were about to choke on their drinks. Not bothering answering any of the questions, Severus simply turned around and started to lead his group outside.

"Now, at first we'll get your new books," said Severus to Remy. "After that, you two can run around as you please. We'll meet you at the Leaky Cauldron at exactly two hours from now. Understood?"

Remy nodded. "I understand," he replied.

At first they went to the Gringrotts to get money. The youngs discovered that Sirius had got all the money he'd inherited from his parents and got from the Ministry as a payment for all his years in Azkaban put into the Snape vault, as it was his vault, too. They gave Remy some of the money there, enough for his books and some extra, too. They also stopped on Remy's personal vault, from where the boy took even more money to "use as he pleased".

People gave them weird looks as they walked past. Most of them knew Severus, either from school or the newspapers, and everyone recognized Sirius, even though he nowadays looked a lot better than when he'd been on the run. None of them recognized Remy, however, and his rather attractive appearance and shocking blue eyes gained almost more attention than the fact that Severus Snape and Sirius Black -- or at least people thought he was Black -- were walking side by side without even fighting.

Then Sirius momentarily slipped his hand to Severus's. The Slytherin soon shook it away, but not soon enough to prevent three witches from fainting.

"Brat," muttered Severus as they entered Flourish and Blotts. "You just love shocking people, don't you?"

"Oh, I love it," said Sirius cheerfully. The three others watched as Remy went to the counter and asked for the books he needed for Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. They watched as the shopkeeper asked why Remy hadn't got them before and why he was alone at the Diagon Alley.

"I'm not alone," replied Remy calmly. "I'm with my fathers." At this, he pointed at his fathers over his shoulder.

Then they all watched as the shopkeeper, too, fainted.

"I don't understand what's so bad about me that everybody faints," complained Sirius as they walked out of the shop after Enervating the shopkeeper and getting Remy's books. "I'm not that ugly, am I, Hermione?" He leant towards the girl, batting his eyelids in mock innocence, making the girl giggle.

"Shut up, you brat," Severus said, but without his usual malice. "Leave her alone."

"Can we now leave, Father?" Remy asked mildly.

"No," replied the Slytherin just as levelly. "You're not going anywhere yet."

"But you said we could go on your own once I get my books," argued Remy with a frown very reminiscent of Severus on his face.

"I lied," said Severus, then elaborated, "I thought of another thing we have to take care of."

"Oh? And that is?" asked Remy, raising his eyebrow.

"Your wand. You do realize that the wand chose Potter, not you, right? I wouldn't be at all surprised if you now had another wand. At least it's worth checking." Then, not listening to any further arguments, Severus started to walk towards Ollivander's, clearly expecting them all to come after him. And, of course, they did.

"Ah, young Mister Snape," said Ollivander as soon as they entered the shop. "Coming to get a new wand, are you?"

"Is there anything you don't know?" asked Sirius with a slight grin.

"Very little, my boy, very little," chuckled the shopkeeper. "Now, young man, come here, will you? I trust your wand hand is still the same?"

A lot of measuring and a high pile of wands later, they were still in the wand shop. Hermione couldn't believe it. She'd found her own wand at the second try -- holly and unicorn hair, eleven inches, swift and trustable -- and couldn't really imagine how anybody could use as much time as Remy did.

"Not any easier than your previous self was," chuckled Ollivander, getting even cheerier with every new wand. "Your father here was easy, took me only three attempts -- mahogany and dragon scale, thirteen inches, wasn't it? Accurate and light, fierce but not for too much use, he's always preferred potions -- but this other one here, he was one of the most difficult customers I've ever had," he said, sending a sharp glance at the grinning Gryffindor. "Forty-eight wands it took, forty-eight! But finally I found the right one. Oak, twelve inches, a dragon scale from the same dragon as your father's, powerful but pliable -- back then I couldn't imagine why their wands were brothers, but now I've come to notice that they have much in common."

"Like our family name and son," muttered Severus dryly. "I think that the fact that our wands are brothers is the only reason why I haven't hexed him to the next century."

"And here I was thinking that you maybe might love me," said Sirius cheerfully. "Anyway, on with the wands!"

"Yes, yes, right," muttered Ollivander. "Named after a werewolf, eh?" he added with a sharp gaze at Remy's direction. "Interesting, truly interesting... Here, try this," he then said, handing the boy yet another wand. "Rowan, ten inches, and --" at this, his voice became very low and mysterious, "-- a werewolf hair." Then, again with his usual voice, he continued, "Stubborn and impatient, but controllable by the right kind of a wizard. Not good for too Light spells, even though is not necessarily Dark. A powerful wand in general."

Remy raised his eyebrows, but took the wand anyway. As soon as he drew it through the air, a shower of tiny blue and silver stars shot from the tip of it.

Sirius frowned. "I thought only werewolves can have wands with a werewolf hair core," he said. "At least that's what Moony told us when we were kids -- once he'd got past lying that he had a dracon heartstring core."

"In most cases, it is indeed so," said Ollivander lightly. "However, in some cases, rowan can neutralize the lycanthropic trait. That's why this wand accepted a non-lycanthropic wizard. Oddly enough, even though normal wizards with a werewolf hair wand can become Animagi more easily than others --" hearing this, Remy smirked triumphantly at his parents "-- they are never canine creatures in their animal forms."

"Hey," said Remy then suspiciously. "This is not a brother to anybody's wand, is it? I don't want nasty surprises about that anymore."

"There's no danger of that," assured the shopkeeper. "The werewolf who gave his hair for this wand has indeed given only one other hair, so there is indeed a wand that is a brother to yours. However, as these are both very new, made this very year, the other one still lies on my shelves. And there it most probably will stay for still a long time to come."

"Wait a minute," said Sirius, an odd look on his face. "You don't happen to know who this werewolf was, do you?"

"Why so?" asked Ollivander. "Do you know a werewolf who's given some of his hair for wands this year?"

"Yes, I do," the Gryffindor replied. "Remus Lupin has -- the one Remy was named after."

"Then there's your answer," replied Ollivander cheerfully. "The fates can be really surprising at times."

"You could say so," muttered Sirius while paying for the wand. Then they all stepped out of the shop, breathing deep the fresh air.

"So a part of Remus is inside my new wand, eh?" asked Remy, a look of mild interest on his face. "Sounds... interesting. Well, I suppose even that is better than having a wand that is a brother to Voldemort's wand."

"You might say so, yes," remarked Severus dryly. "But you wanted to go on your own, didn't you? Then, leave!"

And the youngs did so, not wasting a minute.

* * *

The next chapter: (Probably) Remus's love interests revealed. Older Remus's, that is.


	10. Love Interests

Disclaimer: ::sigh:: No, I do not own anybody but the few OCs here and there...

A/N: Geez, you just wouldn't believe how many people, seemingly unaware of each other, suggested a ram... Honestly, I hadn't even thought about that! Sure, a ram would surely fit Remy, and not only because of his initials, but that's not what I'm looking for.

So, Remy won't be: A ram, a rat, a hamster, a gerbil, _or_ a puddle of mud.

**Byproduct of Evil**, I hadn't really thought about Sam's middle name. If you want, she may be Louise.

**hipa**, if you're reading this: I am indeed Finnish. Are you?

* * *

Ninth Chapter

Love Interests

* * *

Time flew past after their trip to the Diagon Alley. Remy started coaching Samantha in flying, being indeed so successful that when he persuaded the Ravenclaw Quidditch captain, Mirabella Shaw, into arranging a tryout for the tiny girl, she was immediately made their second Seeker. The boy who'd previously held that position did not approve, of course, but there was little he could do. With a Firebolt and Remy's training -- he maybe couldn't fly as well anymore, but he still remembered how to do it -- Samantha was undeniably a lot better than the boy. So, now they were all hoping that she might even get to play instead of Chang in the first Ravenclaw Quidditch match, which would be against Hufflepuffs, and only a week away.

On other areas Remy and Hermione had developed, too. They'd both read the books Sirius had told them to study for their Animagus project, and were mostly successful in the first-state practices Severus made them do. There was still a long way to go, however.

Most of the school had already got used to see Remy running around with Hermione and, usually, Samantha on his heels. Neither of the "fresh Ravenclaws" ever went anywhere without the other, and the tiny girl positively adored Remy, and had made some kind of friends with Hermione. But even though they were indeed used to him, most girls still stared after him as he swept past, his long ponytail flying behind him.

Right now, however, they were all three eating breakfast in the Great Hall. Hermione was picking at her toast, not really hungry.

"Have you noticed that the same owl keeps coming to Remus every other day?" asked Remy, leaning towards her. "That large barn owl? He was here the day before yesterday, and four days ago. Regularly every other day, and always with a letter attached to his leg."

"Now that you mention it, yes, I do think you are right," Hermione said, frowning slightly in concentration. "I don't know why it is so, however. Maybe he's playing chess by owl?"

"Or maybe," suggested Samantha from her other side, "maybe he has a lover somewhere and is keeping contact with him or her? It could be, you know. It's not like all teachers were forced to live the rest of their life in celibacy." Then she flushed under Remy's sharp glance.

"I do _not_ need any more proofs than my own existence about the fact that my parents do in fact have sex, thank you very much," the boy muttered. "But now that you mention it... Has either of you noticed that he hasn't been anywhere to be seen during weekends for a few weeks? And he never gives homework that should be turned in at Friday, so he never has anything to mark at weekends. There _must_ be something behind that..."

"You're insane," huffed Hermione. "I don't think he has any secret lover. I mean, he would have told somebody, wouldn't he? He's just writing to a friend or something."

"And I say he has a lover," said Remy calmly, his Snapish mask never faltering. Then his eyes lit up with the kind of mischief that his friends had already learnt to connect with the half of his character he'd inherited from Sirius. "Hey, care to bet?" he suggested lightly. "Those who are wrong pay a Galleon to the one who's right. I'm saying he has a girlfriend." After all, he recalled Sirius once mentioning that Remus wasn't in fact gay, he was bisexual. The mysterious lover, who surely existed, at least by his mind, could just as well be a woman as a man.

"I say it's a boyfriend," Samantha said, sending a studying glance at the werewolf professor. "He seems to be more into guys. Surely you've noticed that he's sometimes checking out Professor Lemons?"

"The Muggle Studies teacher?" asked Hermione. "Sam, half of the school is checking him out. I still can't believe how Dumbledore could hire two men like Professor Lemons and Sirius to teach in a castle full of hormonal teenagers. But I'd hardly say that Remus is checking him out, he's just, well, glancing at him, like a colleague ever looks at another. I'm still saying that he's not romantically involved."

"So it's a deal, then," said Remy calmly, extending his hands. Both of the girls grasped one hand each, even though Hermione rolled her eyes towards the ceiling.

* * *

"So, what was it you three were scheming at breakfast?" asked Sirius curiously from his son later that day. The two were all alone -- a rare occasion nowadays -- as Samantha was practising Quidditch, Hermione was tutoring a fourth-year Hufflepuff in Charms, and Severus was supervising a detention. Other than taking a closer look at some texts about Animagia, the two Snapes who were currently present were also talking.

"Scheming? Us? I'm insulted that you think so, Dad. We weren't scheming anything," the boy replied, pulling as innocent face as he could. All that he was lacking from the traditional "What? Me?" expression was fluttering his eyelids, as no Snape would ever sink that low. Not a Snape by blood, anyway.

"Don't try that at me, Son," the older wizard said amusedly. "I know when somebody's up to something, I've been that way often enough myself. So, what it was you were planning?"

"Oh, we were just betting on whether or not my dear namesake is involved with somebody," said Remy with a rare grin -- rare, and frighteningly similar to that of his carrier's. "Wrong one pays a Galleon to right one. I'm saying it's a woman, Samantha's saying it's a man, and Hermione's saying that he's not involved at all. Would you like to place a bet?"

"You can't be serious," said Sirius, laughing. "Pairing up your teachers, eh? Even we never sank that low! Well... Not too often, at least. Place a bet, you say? I'm also saying it's a woman. He seems to have been up to something -- or, rather, _someone_ -- lately, I cannot deny that. But all this time he hasn't shown much interest on men, only on women."

"That was also my reasoning," replied Remy, his grin fading away and his usual calm mask appearing again. "Although maybe I don't even want to know. Knowing that _you_ have a sex life is bad enough; I don't really need mental images about _him _to traumatize me even more!"

"Good reasoning there, Son," laughed his dad. "Now, however... Could you describe me the Taliesinal Theory of Transformation, and how it differs from the current views on the topic?"

"You've asked that three times already," complained Remy. "If I hadn't known it by heart before, now I certainly do!"

"My point exactly," the already-Animagus said with a broad grin. "This is one of the main points in the Animagus transformation, so you have to indeed know it by heart. Now, come on. I'm waiting."

Remy sighed, and then launched into an explanation of the theory in question, and what of it had been proved wrong by later researches. His Dad listened quietly, a slight smile typical to a proud father all the time adorning his lips.

* * *

"Where are we going to go next?" asked Remy, watching Samantha amusedly as the tiny girl got her pockets at last properly stuffed with candies from the Honeydukes. Having only started her third year, she hadn't yet got used to the excitement of being in Hogsmeade.

"Shall we go to the Three Broomsticks for some Butterbeer?" Hermione suggested as they stepped outside to the brisk air. "I could do with some warming up." While saying this, she wove her scarf even tighter around her neck. On a chilly Saturday in the middle of November, it was rather cold.

"Sounds like a good idea," agreed the tall young wizard. "Besides -- hey, look!" he then exclaimed, pointing at two figures further along the road. The girls both turned to look, and their mouths dropped open in surprise.

* * *

Further along the road, a certain werewolf glanced quickly over his shoulder. Seeing Hermione's well recognizable cloud of curls and Remy's even more noticeable form in the crowd, he cursed quietly and grasped his companion's arm.

"I knew we shouldn't have come here at a Hogsmeade weekend, Ley," hissed Remus. "Now they've seen us!"

"Aww, relax, Rem," chuckled the black wizard. "It's not like you weren't allowed to see your friends every now and then. What could they possibly think about us being together in Hogsmeade?"

"With Remy Snape and Hermione Granger, you never know," Remus muttered. He glanced quickly over his shoulder, but didn't see either of the mentioned students anymore. Some other students passed, greeting him happily, but they weren't what made them worried. Those students only saw their professor with a friend. With Remy and Hermione, however, they would surely figure out the truth.

"Who was the other girl?" asked his companion then curiously, having also seen Samantha's tiny form in the middle of the two older Ravenclaw students. "I don't think I've ever seen her before."

"The tiny one?" Remus asked. "Oh, she's Samantha Green, a third-year Ravenclaw. She easily became friends with Hermione as soon as she was re-Sorted to Ravenclaw, and thus goes like a tag-along everywhere where Remy goes, too. She's maybe not as bright as those two -- who could be? -- but they're quickly corrupting her."

"Now, calm down," instructed Kingsley then gently. "I'm sure they don't suspect anything else but us being just friends."

"Like I said, you never know with those two," the werewolf replied. "Or, rather, with those three. As I said, Samantha's quickly getting corrupted."

"Still, I don't think that even if they did suspect something they would gossip," said the other man soothingly. "Now, don't be so jumpy. Nobody's going to find out -- and besides, the world wouldn't end even if somebody did." And with that, he glanced around himself. Seeing no students around -- there were only boring, adult things like the tiny local museum and a shop for wizarding antique near them, and all students were in places like Honeydukes, or the Three Broomsticks -- he dared to lean forward and peck his lover quickly on the lips. Then pulling away, he flashed him a bright smile, and led them to the dusty museum to find some dark, unobserved place for them two only.

Neither of them noticed the slight shimmering of air near them. And even if they did, neither of them could even guess what it was -- namely the Invisibility Cloak of one Remy Snape. With the young wizard himself and two of his friends under it.

* * *

"Pay up," said Samantha with a broad grin as soon as the two wizards had disappeared into the museum and they had dropped Remy's cloak. "He's with a man. You both owe me a Galleon."

"That's not fair," argued Hermione. "We don't have any proofs yet that the man is his lover. Maybe he's just a really, _really _good friend?"

"Hermione, you do _not_ kiss somebody who's just one of your friends," Remy said dryly. "At least not if you're both adult men. Here, Samantha, your Galleon," he said, digging a coin from his pocket. "We still have to inform Dad that he owes you one."

"And your father, too," added Hermione, searching for her own purse from the pocket of her robes. "He asked me to add him to the bet; he was also saying it's nobody."

"You got Father to bet?" asked Remy disbelievingly. "For Rowena's sake, Hermione, what on Earth did you do to him?"

"I did nothing," the young witch replied, looking as innocent as she could. "Of course, that doesn't mean that somebody else didn't do anything to him. When I went to ask him about my Potions project and then started to talk about Remus, he was coming from their quarters, a rather _satisfied_ look on his face, if you get my drift."

At this, Remy put both his hands on his ears, groaning aloud. The two witches both laughed. Remy might be just like Severus, in good and bad, but there were still some occasions in which he was just like his carrier. And this was definitely one of those times.

* * *

"You both lost the bet, by the way," said Remy calmly that night. He was doing his homework in his parents' quarters. Hermione was again tutoring, and Samantha was being tutored on Arithmancy -- she wasn't thick by any means, she was a Ravenclaw after all, but with Quidditch going around in her head all the time, she rarely paid any attention to her schoolwork. Of course, Remy'd threatened to stop instructing her in flying if her grades dropped one bit, which was why she had begged her big brother to tutor her in Arithmancy. She maybe imagined that Remy didn't know, but Benjamin rarely kept quiet about anything.

"What bet?" asked Severus, frowning as he raised his eyes from his book. Sirius, however, caught on immediately.

"So Moony's with a man?" exclaimed the Grim Animagus. "Splendid! Are you sure about that?"

"Well, unless he's lately taken on a habit to kiss strange men whenever they think nobody from the school will see, then yes, he is with a man," replied the youngest Snape, smirking slightly. "They did seem quite close for complete strangers, though."

"So," said Severus, looking interested for once. "Now, tell us about this mysterious man. What did he look like?"

"Well, he was a tall, bald, black wizard," Remy described. "He looked rather self-confident, walked around like nothing would ever dare to challenge him. An Auror, I would say."

"Sounds rather much like Kingsley Shacklebolt," Sirius said, narrowing his eyes, obviously deep in thought. "Here, give these to your girlfriend, she's surely earned it. Just wait until I can question Moony about this!"

"She's just a friend, _not_ my girlfriend," groaned Remy for the thousandth time, but put the three Galleons into his pocket anyway. He then turned towards Severus. "Father?" he asked challengingly.

"Here," replied his father, flipping a golden coin to him. "Get this to your _friend_, then." Then, with a raised eyebrow, he added, "Although you undeniably could do worse than her."

Now, Remy simply groaned aloud without words, collected hastily his books, and exited his parents' quarters. Merlin knew what they'd think of next.

* * *

Next chapter will include one or more of these:

- What the Order's up to

- A Quidditch Match

- Samatha does something _really _stupid

- Grandpa Snape visits

- The Animagus potion

I already know which one I'll write about, but you can always try to make me write of more of them... ::wink wink nudge nudge::


	11. Daddy Dearest

Disclaimer: Mine? Nope. JKR's? That's it!

A/N: Most of people wanted to see either Grandpa Snape, or the Animagus Potion... I meant to do both, but then it just got too long, so you'll have to wait to the next chapter to get the Animagus Potion!

---

Tenth Chapter  
Daddy Dearest

---

A week after the revelation about Remus's secret lover -- a revelation which had caused a lot of teasing from Sirius, blushing from Remus, amused remarks from Remy and Severus, and giggling from Hermione and Samantha -- that Severus was sitting in he and Sirius's quarters, looking over some Potions essays he'd made his third year Hufflepuff-Ravenclaw group write. With dry amusement he noted a couple of things not mentioned in the class showing up in young Miss Green's essay, knowing very well that she'd heard those from Remy. Heroically resisting the urge to write, "Doing your homework with assistance from your teacher's son will not gain you extra credit" to the edge of her essay, he grudgingly had to give the tiny Ravenclaw almost full points for her essay. It didn't matter how she'd had her knowledge, and he had to be impartial in every aspect -- and he wholly intended to, now that he no more had to lick Voldemort's boots and therefore favour the Slytherins.

After yet a couple of essays, he pushed the pile away from himself and rubbed his temples tiredly. He'd gone through the alphabets in a descending order, like was his usual manner, thus having had only Angela Creek's and Melanie Altosanta's essays after the one being written by his son's "girlfriend". Sure, like Remy had often enough reminded him rather heatedly, Samantha was not his girlfriend, but that part of their teasing had already become an irrevocable part of their interaction. He idly wondered what would happen if it ever became true, but then had to dismiss the thought as he felt a massive headache approaching. Trying in vain to will it away, he leant back in his chair, only to be enveloped in his husband's strong arms.

"What are you doing?" asked Sirius curiously, placing a kiss on top of his head. "Grading essays?"

"Spot on, Mister Obvious," muttered the Head of Slytherin. "Third year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. Yet again Miss Green amazes me with her ability to put in a few things she has to have heard from Remy."

"Isn't a thirst for knowledge only good in a student, and natural in a Ravenclaw?" asked Sirius cheerfully. "Or is it only bad because she's your son's girlfriend?"

At this, Severus didn't say anything. However, he did stiffen noticeably in Sirius's arms.

"You don't like that thought, do you?" Sirius commented quietly. "You really prefer to think of her as only his friend, not as a girlfriend, no matter what you say when you're teasing him."

"Of course I don't like the thought," sighed Severus.

"Why so, though?" questioned his husband curiously. "Is it because she's younger than he is?"

"No. I -- I think I just don't want him to be in a relationship. I don't want him to grow up from me yet. You've at least had all that godfatherly stuff with him, and even spent most of the last summer with him. I've only ever got to care for him as a baby."

"Well, you are now truly making up for it, aren't you," Sirius replied lightly. "It seems that whenever I come here, he's here. Doing his homework, chattering with his friends -- he's even got them to visit here, it's a wonder they're not all in Gryffindor for that bravery -- or reading some book, he's always here. And just as often you are here, sitting in the corner like a bloody gargoyle and watching over everything. You even watch when he's coaching Samantha -- don't try to deny it, I've seen you in the stands."

"Speak for yourself," replied Severus, allowing a slight smile to touch his lips. "Is it so bad that I want to care for my son, anyway? Unlike you, I've never had any real 'home life' with him, so it's pleasant to know that whenever he isn't on lessons or training his pet Seeker he's most probably here. I want to be there for him, now that I'm at last allowed to do so."

"How uncharacteristical of you, Severus," chuckled the Gryffindor. Then he kissed his husband. "And yet I love you all the same."

"More," corrected Severus, still smiling. "You love me even more for it." After this, he turned to respond his husband's kiss.

---

The following morning Remy, Hermione, and Samantha watched with great interest the scene that was taking place in the Head Table. Just as Remus had got his owl from Kingsley right in the schedule, a large, jet-black owl landed in front of Severus's plate, a letter tied to his leg. Remy's father took the letter from the owl, read it, and then paled even from his usual state. Then he turned to whisper frantically with Sirius.

Just as their curiousness was growing unbearable, Sirius rose from the Head Table and started to walk towards them. Ignoring the curious looks from the other students, he crouched down next to his son. "Snape the older is coming here to see his newly acquired grandson," the Grim Animagus said quietly. "You should come down to our quarters soon after dinner."

Remy nodded calmly. "Can Hermione and Samantha come with me?" he then asked.

"If they want, I do think so," Sirius said, looking a bit thoughtful. "A word of warning, though, girls: If you think Remy here or Severus are bad, it's rather obvious you haven't met Marcus Snape yet. He's not evil, but he rarely thinks about how the others will feel about his words."

"Sounds like it's a family trait," Hermione said dryly. "And Remy has obviously inherited it."

"Well, fortunately I haven't inherited Dad's incapability to think at all," the boy commented with a slight smirk. "It is fortunate, isn't it, Dad?"

Sirius merely rolled his eyes towards the ceiling. "I could go all stern and strict at you and tell you not to talk like that to your carrier," he said, grinning a bit. "However, I just ask you not to be too disrespectful towards your grandfather. I think he'll take my personality rather badly, so there's no reason to make him think that we can't even raise a kid properly."

"Why deny the truth?" At the glances his carrier and friends gave to him, Remy snapped his tongue. "Okay, okay," he said frustratedly. "But I warn you, even I have my limits. If he pushes too far, I don't count myself responsible for the consequences."

"Neither do any of us," Sirius said, standing up again. "Very well. I'll see you after dinner, then."

---

"Father," Severus said levelly, bowing his head in a respectful gesture to the man in front of him. "It's been a long time."

"A truly long time, Severus," replied Marcus Snape, eyeing his son critically. "Say, you don't look half as bad as before."

"Family life has done good for me," replied Severus, raising his eyebrow. "When I was living alone, I had hardly any reasons to care for myself. Now, however, Sirius insists that I wash my hair, go outside more than once a year, things like that."

"Sirius," echoed his foster father. "Sirius Black. He comes from a long and respected family of Slytherins."

"A long and respected family of Dark Wizards, you mean," replied Severus dryly. "And later Death Eaters."

"Well, on that respect he fits your family just right, then," said Marcus snidely, glancing at his left forearm with a sneer. Even though the Dark Mark was hidden under the sleeve, he appeared to see it very clearly. "Although he doesn't fit _my_ family by that merit."

"Sirius has never been a Death Eater. And even while I was just that, I was a spy, Father, and you know it very well," the Potions Master defended himself. "And I continued spying until my cover was blown last summer."

"Whatever your purposes were, you were still a Death Eater," argued the elder wizard. "You still are one, if you ask me. That Mark never fades, now does it?"

"Stop that, Father," hissed Severus. "You know very well I've paid for it more than dearly. I've paid for every life I've taken, and for every life I've saved, too."

"Yes, indeed. Here it comes then -- the Gryffindor speech."

"I'm not a Gryffindor, Father, and you know it very well," snapped the boy Marcus thought of as his son. "I'm a Slytherin. The Head of Slytherin, even."

At this, Marcus raised an elegant eyebrow in a gesture very similar to that his son favoured. "Then why was your son adopted by the Potters?" he asked sharply.

Severus returned his foster father's gaze steadily. "Tell me, Father," he said levelly, "haven't you ever wondered why Potters' elder son disappeared just at the same time as you adopted me?"

Now, the man was left staring at him, his mouth hanging open very un-Snapishly. "You -- you don't mean you --"

"Yes, I do mean," replied Severus curtly. "I'm now Severus Snape, and to me, that's all I've ever been. But originally I was born to be Julian Mathias Potter. Even after I was given to adoption because I'd caught the Merlin's Sleep, I never gave up keeping contact with my twin." As the eldest Snape still didn't say anything, the Potions Master asked sharply, "Well, what are you going to do now? Disown me for being a Potter?"

This seemed to startle the man from his shock. "No way," he said firmly. "The Potters maybe gave you up for not being what they wanted you to be, but at that moment, they gave up any of their claims over you. You're a Potter no more than I am, and you and your whole family are Snapes as long as I'm concerned at all."

"Yet you'd prefer if Sirius wasn't a part of that family." Seeing a little gesture from his father, a gesture that to anybody else would have meant nothing but to a Snape was a fierce agreement, he continued, "Why don't you like him? Is it because we're both men? Or because he is a Gryffindor, or because the Potters liked him?"

"None of those is my reason," replied Marcus curtly. By now, they were both seated on the couches in the little living room of Severus and Sirius's quarters. Under his son's questioning glance, Marcus then sighed slightly. "I envy you."

"What?" For once, not even Severus's perfect Snape calm was able to keep the shock away from his face. His father couldn't have said that, could he?

"I envy you," Marcus echoed. "Your mother and I -- well, we've never been truly in love. Our marriage was only arranged to please our parents. We're good friends, sure, but nothing more. She hasn't been even able to give me an heir. And then, look at yourself. Your husband has gone through the House rivalries and all kind of prejudices just to be with you. He has even borne you a son, even though nobody could ever expect that from him as he's just as much a man as you are. Of course I envy you."

"Snapes never envy," Severus pointed out. "You taught that to me yourself."

"Well, I hardly am the one people think about when they hear the name Snape," the other man said dryly. "They think about you, or sometimes your son. I've been long forgotten, as well as my wife."

"You're getting soft on your old age," commented the younger one mildly. "I think Sirius will be here soon, and then Remy and two of his friends. A word of warning, however -- if you scare his friends, Remy will kill you. He maybe appears to be as cool and calm as any Snape by blood, and he is that most of the time, but he has Sirius's temper when it comes to those he cares about."

"Thank you for the warning," Marcus replied, raising an eyebrow. He obviously didn't think that the warning was useless. If the boy truly was his grandson, there was a reason to worry when he got angry.

"Very well, then." With an also raised eyebrow, Severus added, "And don't start to argue with him about anything. That boy is as stubborn as they get. He'd probably get a stone cry if he wanted to."

"Doesn't get it from any strangers, I can tell," muttered the eldest of Snapes then, giving his son a glance. Smirking in response, Severus didn't say anything else.

---

A/N: You can still try to guess Remy's form. But at this point you'll only get the next chapter dedicated to you, not the whole fic...

Next chapter: **Attack!**  
Marcus Snape is nasty, which leads to Remy acting true to his character. The Animagus Potion also has the most interesting results..


	12. Attack!

Disclaimer: Own them? What, me? Nope!

A/N: You want more? Then you'll get more! (Don't expect this fast updates in the future, though!)

Heehee... Remy's temper is flaring up...

* * *

Eleventh Chapter

Attack!

* * *

Some time later Sirius truly arrived. He and Marcus shook hands, although both were eyeing the other warily. Severus let out an irritated huff, grasped his husband's hand, and pulled him down to sit next to himself. Then he put his arm over Sirius's shoulders in a possessive, rather uncharacteristical gesture, and eyed his foster father challengingly.

"I'd like to make one thing clear, Father," Severus said sharply. "Sirius is my husband. He is a Snape, and you will treat him as such. I do consider you my father, but if you continue being hostile towards my chosen spouse, I will stop all correspondence between us. Am I understood?"

Marcus merely raised an eyebrow, not at all offended by Severus's speech. "And then it was Sirius's temper that makes your son protect those he cares about, eh?" Then he shook his head. "Anyway. If you were a spy until your cover was blown, like you claim, then who is the spy now?"

"That's something we can't tell you," Severus replied smoothly. "There might be a spy, or there might not be one. I'm sorry, Father. I'm not implying that you were a Death Eater -- but we're under strict orders to trust nobody."

"I understand," the eldest Snape said mildly. Then he glanced towards the door. "When's that son of yours going to arrive, anyway?"

"I don't know, at least," Sirius replied levelly. "He and his friends were going to come here after dinner. They should be here soon."

Like his words had summoned them, the door was then opened. Remy walked in, Hermione and Samantha half hiding behind his back.

Marcus Snape stood up, surveying his grandson. "So you're Remus Snape," he said then critically.

"And you're Marcus Snape," replied the teen levelly. "Pleased to meet you."

"Pleased to meet you, too." Marcus eyed the House badge on his robes, raising his eyebrow. "You're a Ravenclaw, I see," he said. "Not bad. Slytherin would have been of course even better, but with a Gryffindor for other father, I think Ravenclaw's the best you could do."

"I think it's the best anybody could do," Remy said calmly. "Gryffindors are too overdaring, Hufflepuffs have not any special traits, and Slytherins pay too much attention on power instead of skill."

"Well, that's your opinion." Then the eldest Snape eyed the two girls, who still stayed safe behind Remy's back. "And who might you be, young ladies?" he asked, raising his eyebrow. "You, the older one. I think I've seen you somewhere."

"You most probably have," Hermione replied levelly, "thanks to Rita Skeeter. I'm Hermione Granger, Remy's best friend and classmate."

"Ah, yes. Hermione Granger, indeed." With a sharp glance at Samantha, he asked then, "And you? Who might you be?"

The tiny girl shivered. "I'm Samantha Green, Remy's friend also," she replied, her voice wavering only a bit -- so little that it was almost unnoticeable. "I'm a third year Ravenclaw."

"Third year? Well, you surely don't look like that," Marcus Snape said nastily. "Samantha Green?" he echoed then, narrowing his eyes. "Your father is Bernard Green, is he not?"

"That's his name," replied Samantha, trying hard not to show her nervousness under the scrutinizing gaze. She no more reacted to it except for an occasional blush whenever it was directed to her from Remy, and she could even tolerate it to certain limits from Severus, having got used to it as they often hang out in the quarters of the two Professor Snapes. However, even though Remy could be very badly, well, Snape if he wanted to, and Severus was even worse, Marcus Snape was definitely the worst.

"I knew him when I was younger," the eldest Snape said now, obviously referring to Samantha's father. "It took him over three years to finally get his Apparation lisence. Split himself up at least once a week until he finally managed -- how on Earth he did that, I truly don't know. The most incompetent fool I've had the displeasure of knowing, really. Tell me, why does my grandson bother with the likes of you?"

At this, Samantha's self-control finally gave up. Her eyes now veiled with tears, she rushed out of the room, clutching her book tightly on her chest. Hermione hurried after her, although not before giving Remy a quick glance.

Whatever Marcus Snape had expected his grandson's reaction to his friend's escape to be, it certainly wasn't what he got. The young Snape stared after his friends for a moment, then turned again towards his grandfather -- and spat on his face.

"You bloody idiot," hissed Remy, his eyes flashing with icy fury. "I hate you. I really, really hate you." And with that, he turned around and rushed to the corridor, yelling, "Samantha! Samantha, Hermione, wait!"

"Now, that was a surprise," commented Marcus levelly, cleaning his face with a handkerchief. "What did I do wrong?"

Severus raised an eyebrow, although he kept his expression otherwise carefully under control. "I won't even start on that," he commented mildly. Sirius didn't say anything -- he was still suppressing the laughter that had threatened to burst out when he'd seen the expression of complete shock on his father-in-law's face upon being spat on by Remy.

* * *

"Samantha? Hermione?" yelled Remy as his legs carried him nearer and nearer to the Ravenclaw Tower. "Damn them," he then muttered under his breath.

"Benjamin!" he exclaimed as soon as he reached the Common Room and spotted the elder Green there. "Did you see where the girls went?"

"What, Hermione and Samantha?" asked Benjamin, although it was rather obvious whom Remy meant. "Oh, they ran towards their dormitory -- with a rather good speed, by the way. It looked like Hermione was trying to reach my little sister."

Remy cursed inwardly. He knew very well what it meant that the girls had went to their dormitory. His own dormmates had informed him of the twists of the stairway, although he hadn't expected that he might ever need that information -- after all, Hermione and Samantha followed him everywhere, and he didn't really have anything to do with any other girls. Not wanting to waste a second, he rushed towards his own dormitory.

"Where the Hell have they gone to?" he mumbled while digging through all the things inside his trunks. "I'm sure I put them somewhere here..."

At last, he found what he'd been looking for: A pile of chocolate boxes. Taking one of them, he then rushed back to the Common Room and towards the stairway that led to the girls' dormitories.

"Let's see," he muttered. "Fifth floor, the first door to left... Ah! Here it is."

And indeed, as he opened the door, he saw Samantha sitting on one of the beds, crying. Hermione was trying to comfort the smaller girl. Neither of them had noticed him yet.

"What if he really thinks now that I'm incompetent?" sniffled Samantha. "True, my Father's never been good with Charms, but at least he's good in Transfiguration! And I'm not that bad in either!"

Hermione sighed. "Sam, it's Remy we're talking about," she reminded her friend. "He knows you better than that. Really, do you think he'd let some bitter old git's opinion fool him?"

"I can assure you, I'm not thinking along the same lines as my grandfather," Remy said, deciding to make his presence known. "And to prove it, I come bearing gifts." He raised the chocolate box in his hand, showing it to the girls.

"Remy!" exclaimed Samantha. "I -- why did you come here?"

The young wizard shrugged. "You looked upset," he replied. "Besides, I didn't consider it very wise to stay after I spat on my grandfather."

"What?" asked Hermione disbelievingly. "You didn't!"

"I did," Remy said, raising an eyebrow with a small smirk. "He did insult my friend, after all. That could not go unpunished." Walking to the girls, he then offered, "Chocolate?"

"Thank you." Samantha took some, then raised her still teary eyes at him. "I'm glad you didn't believe him."

"Believe that fool?" Remy snorted. "Really, Samantha, I'm not that stupid." Then he smiled a bit more. "You know, I think that Father should also do something to repay you. It was his father who insulted you, after all."

"Oh?" Samantha raised her eyebrows in a gesture learnt from him. "And how could he do that?"

A mischievous, very Sirius-y grin spread on Remy's face. "Samantha," he said, "would you like to know your Animagus form?"

* * *

"I still don't understand how I got myself spoken into this," muttered Sirius as he measured the potion into three goblets. Then he handed the goblets to the three youngs in front of him.

"It's not your fault," replied Remy. "Blame my dearest grandfather." Then he nodded at Samantha, grinning slightly. "Ladies first," he said with a smirk and a mock-bow. How he managed to bend almost in double and still not spill a drop of his potion was a miracle in itself.

The tiny girl gave him a nervous smile, then swallowed down her potion. After a couple of seconds, she suddenly started to shrink. Honey brown fur, exactly the colour of her hair, started to spurt from her skin. At some point, nobody could really tell when, her clothes had disappeared. Her ears then grew longer, and she grew a tail. After a few seconds more, a tiny, fluffy bunny sat on the floor, watching them curiously.

Remy grinned broadly. "Quite fitting, actually," he said. "I'd thought of a squirrel, but I guess that a bunny fits you even better."

After a moment, Samantha changed back. She shot the boy a brief glare. "And why'd a bunny's form fit me?" she asked sulkingly. "Do I have big ears, too? Or large teeth?"

"Oh, no," Remy said, putting on his best charm, inherited from Sirius. "But you see, bunnies are rather like you. Small, friendly and cute." Of course, Samantha blushed at this.

Hermione rolled her eyes towards the ceiling. Then she downed her own potion. They all watched curiously as she waited for the transformation to happen.

Nobody was really surprised, though, as her shrinking form then started to grow feathers. After the transformation was over, a pretty snowy owl was circling their heads.

"Well, isn't that interesting," Remy said, smirking, as she'd changed back. "You know, Pureblood wizards think that snowy owls are the purest of all owls. For a Muggleborn, it's really rare to have a snowy owl as an Animagus form. Should we be worried about your _biological_ father's identity?"

"Shut up," Hermione huffed. "Let's see what form Mister Smart-arse gets!"

"Fine!" she got the cheery answer. Then, Remy took a last glance at his friends and carrier. Without hesitating a second, he then raised his own goblet to his lips and drained it. For a moment, it seemed that nothing was going to happen.

Then, however, he, too, started to change. He changed size, got four legs instead of two legs and arms, and he felt something pop out of his bottom that had definitely not been there before -- most likely a tail. A soft, fluffy tail, for anything he could tell.

At last, the transformation was complete. It was pretty difficult at first to figure out his form, but another long consideration of his body parts and where they were located gave him a rather clear picture. A picture that made him smirk satisfiedly. So, he turned towards the others to see their reactions.

Hermione and Samantha both gave him wary glances. Then they slowly backed away from him, like expecting him to attack them at any moment. Remy of course didn't plan to do that. Although, like he thought when Sirius laughed at the girls and told them that there was no reason to be afraid, it was Remy inside the creature in the end, he felt like he should attack _someone_... A very certain someone, at that.

Sirius walked nearer, teasing and taunting him. Obviously he was sure that his own son would do nothing to him, no matter what was his form. Well, he was in for a _real_ surprise, then.

'_One more step,_' he thought, '_one more step, my dear carrier, and _then_ we'll see who's harmless with a human mind..._'

And then, Sirius took that step. And Remy attacked.

* * *

You can still try to guess Remy's Animagus form, but anybody possible guessing it right will only get the next chapter dedicated to themselves.

Next chapter: **Samantha's Trials**

The amusement about Remy's Animagus form disappears soon when Samantha does something very stupid. After that, a dark letter from home reaches her.


	13. Samantha's trials

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: Sadly, nobody has guessed Remy's Animagus form right yet. ::sigh:: How many times do I need to tell that he's not a wolf, or any other canine, and not a werewolf, or any other creature in the CoMC? He is...

A skunk. A spotted skunk, to be exact.

Yes, you can laugh now. But... I think it fits him.

* * *

Twelfth Chapter

Samantha's Trials

* * *

"A spotted skunk?" echoed Severus disbelievingly, staring at his son like he hadn't believed his own ears. "Your Animagus form is a _spotted skunk_?" 

"Well, it kind of fits him, actually," murmured Hermione with an amused smile. "You know, they are just like him -- never afraid of anything. Almost all wild animals know to keep well clear from skunks of any kind, so they behave like they owned the whole world. That's the reason for many thousand skunks dying every year when they unfortunately get to the Muggle roads and get hit by a car, which they don't know to try to avoid," she added then with a sigh.

"Truly it fits him," Severus then said dryly. "Never afraid of anything, and if you mess with him, prepare for a very foul surprise." Glancing at his husband, he added, "Like some of us have already noticed."

"It was not my fault," said Sirius sulkingly. "I didn't ask him to make me smell!"

"Whatever is the reason, you'll sleep on the couch tonight," said Severus, sneering. "And for still a couple of nights, until the anti-smell charm has some effect on you. In fact, it'd maybe be the better if you slept completely outside the quarters."

"But Severus!" protested Sirius as Remy just laughed. "It wasn't my fault! Blame our son for this!"

"Well, you're the one who smells," said Severus mercilessly. "Therefore, you are the one to blame." As their son snickered at this, he shot a sharp look at him. "And you're forbidden from your next Hogsmeade weekend, young man. I happened to have plans for tonight, and now you've ruined it all." This, of course, made Remy blush slightly as he obviously got some mental image he'd rather avoided.

"Fine," the boy muttered mildly. A tad too mildly, by his father's mind.

"If you even dream about going there with that blasted Invisibility Cloak, I will confiscate it and keep it well away from you until you graduate," added Severus calmly. "And don't give me that look, young man."

"Damn," muttered Remy. "I hate having a father."

"Language, Son," reminded Severus, an amused smirk on his lips. "Even though your carrier told me that he's already given you the birds and bees talk, he has obviously forgotten to actually do it. However, I will tell you a secret: Every person in the world has at least one father."

Both Hermione and Samantha laughed aloud, and even Sirius managed a grin despite his baffled mood. Remy, however, just put on his best Snape scowl. "I hate you," he muttered.

"No, you don't," the Head of Slytherin replied calmly. "You're just saying it to make me feel better."

"What's so funny?" asked Remus, stepping into the room. "Has something happened?" Then his eyes settled to Remy. His nose shivered once, twice, as if he was smelling the air. Then the werewolf suddenly took a hasty step backwards.

Remy, of course, did not understand this kind of behaviour. "Remus?" he asked in slight -- and very rare -- confusion. "Is something wrong with you?"

"What, something wrong with me? No, I'm fine. No, I don't care about you the slightest. I'm not even looking towards you." He turned his back to Remy, trying to look innocent. As the boy, who was really confused now, tried to reach a hand to touch him, he at first flinched. Then the werewolf walked to the other side of the room, whistling mock-innocently as he went.

The two other adults noticed Remy's confusion. "That's not a surprise, in fact," Sirius said, chuckling slightly. "For some time after a person has taken the potion, Remus treats them like a wolf would treat their animal forms. And a wolf, like most wild animals, avoids skunks as much as possible."

"Don't worry about that," Severus said in turn. "He was the same way when I took the potion, trying to attack me at every occasion -- you know, dogs and cats. Remus can't help it. It'll go over in a couple of days."

"It was still even worse when Peter took the potion," commented Sirius. "It's just - well, let's just say that James and I had to do everything we could to stop him from trying to eat Petey."

Remy snickered slightly, and then more as Remus's cheeks flushed. "Maybe he should have," the teen said then, turning back to his serious self. "Would have saved us all a lot of trouble."

"True, so true," sighed Severus.

Samantha, who'd of course been listening closely to the conversation, took a couple of wary steps away from the werewolf, seeing very well the almost hungry glances he was giving her. Remy, noticing this, calmly walked between his tiny friend and the man he'd been named after.

"Although it would have been better if you had indeed eaten Pettigrew," the youngest Snape said mildly, "I would appreciate it if you didn't eat my friends." This, of course, made Remus blush even further.

"What about you, then?" asked Hermione curiously from Sirius. "What did Remus do to _you_ after you found out your Animagus form?"

"Nothing pleasant," muttered the darkhaired Gryffindor. "Just imagine waking up in the middle of the night just to find your friend trying to sniff your butt!"

At this point, Remus couldn't bear it anymore. He simply ran away from the room, his face a glorious shade of Gryffindor red, the laughter of the others echoing after them.

* * *

Samantha drew a deep breath. Then he muttered a quick, "_Alohomora_," opening the lock of the door in front of her. Pushing the door open, she stepped silently inside. 

In front of her opened the dungeons of the Ravenclaw Tower. This passage was long forgotten, and it hadn't been sealed -- whether it was because the teachers hadn't thought about it or because they didn't think it should be sealed, she did not know. Either way, there was no way anybody even could get to the actual dungeons from there -- unless they were stupid enough to fly around in the darkness in a place they didn't know.

However, _Accio_ed things never collided with walls. Especially not broomsticks.

Samantha inched nearer to the edge. She had found an interesting mention on one of the books in the library. The mention was about a broom Madam Hooch had once had -- a magical race broomstick. The story told that it was the perfect broom for anyone, always following the instructions just right, faster and more agile than any other broom under the sky.

"_Accio_ Madam Hooch's magical broomstick," she called out to the surrounding darkness. Only seconds later her ears caught the sound of a broomstick whirling towards her through the shadows. Feeling triumphant, she prepared to catch the broom as soon as it flew to her.

As the broomstick came near enough for her to see it, however, her triumphant mood disappeared completely.

Something was holding the broomstick. Something that looked like a deformed, hairy hand. The hand was attached to an arm, and the arm was attached to a body that was hidden by the darkness. Only a pair of yellow, glowing eyes could be clearly seen from the shadows, an evil glint in them.

Samantha screamed, loudly. Then she turned around to run away. However, in her haste she did not look in front of herself, and tripped over a loose stone on the floor. She fell down, hit her head on the stone floor, and lay still.

The monster had now reached the plane and let go of the broom, dropping easily to its two deformed feet. It left the broomstick and started to slowly advance on the unconscious girl.

Remy's head perked up as the faint scream echoed through the corridors to their hearing. "That's Samantha!" he exclaimed. "Something is wrong with her!"

Not needing more encouraging, Hermione and the ever-curious Luna they'd just been talking with started to run after him. Even though Remy did his best to stay calm and controlled to keep panic away, he couldn't help but silently fear for his young friend. Why, oh, why hadn't he taken better care of Samantha?

It had been just a moment ago that Samantha had been standing next to him. When had the girl had time to disappear? Why had she done so? And what, what in Merlin's name could have made her scream?

After a couple of turns they saw something weird. A wooden door, one that they'd never even noticed before as it was hidden by shadows -- and as they rarely even came to this part of the Ravenclaw Tower -- was now open, despite that it was never used. Through the open doorway they saw Samantha, lying on the floor, clearly unconscious. And nearing Samantha, they saw -- something.

There was no other way to describe it. It resembled a human in some way, yet it was covered by long, shaggy fur. Its claws and fangs made them think of a werewolf, yet its face was more that of a bear than that of a wolf. It didn't have a tail, but the evil yellow eyes and the beastly glint in them told that this was not a human being.

It was the Horrid Student-Eating Monster of the Ravenclaw Tower.

Despite her usual calmness, Hermione screamed, Luna's cry echoing hers. Remy, however, forced himself to function sensibly. "_Stupefy_!" he roared, sending a red jet of light towards the monster. As it didn't seem to even slow down at the hit, he shouted, "Hermione, try to keep it away, so I can get Samantha from there! Luna, go and get some teacher here, we need help!"

The fair-haired girl immediately ran off. Hermione, on the other hand, casted the strongest barrier charm she knew, placing it right between Samantha and the horrifying beast. The monster clawed at the magical wall, howling in frustrated rage. Seeing the magic sparkling around it, Remy knew that Hermione, despite her skills and power, couldn't keep the barrier up for long. Rushing forward, he knelt down next to Samantha's unmoving form and gathered the tiny girl to his arms. Thanking whatever deity listening for the fact that he had his muscular carrier's strength and not his skinny father's, he then started to carry his precious load away from the danger.

Just as he was stepping out of the door, however, Hermione's powers failed her. The barrier broke down, and the roaring beast flung itself forward. Remy felt a stinging pain in his back, and his steps faltered, making him fall.

'_This is it_,' he thought to himself, at the same time subconsciously arranging his body to the best possible shelter for the still unconscious Samantha. '_Now it'll get us both, and I'll be remembered as the Boy-Who-Died-On-His-Way-To-Dinner. Splendid._'

Just then somebody yelled, "_Stupefy_!" and a jet of ruby light flew over his head. It didn't knock the monster out, either, but it did fling it a couple of steps backwards. Another spell -- this time Remy could raise his head, and saw that it was Remus casting them, an agitated-looking Luna by his side -- made the beast back away even further. A new blast, this time even stronger, and it flew over the edge of the plane and to the seemingly endless darkness.

For a moment, they all just stared at it. Then Remus walked forward, closed the door, and locked it with a charm that even Remy knew he could not break.

"Okay," the werewolf professor said then, glancing sternly at them. "Maybe you could now explain me, Remy... Why exactly the only time that you're not in trouble because of Voldemort, you're finding trouble lying on top of a girl?"

At this point, Remy couldn't help but laugh. It wasn't a happy laugh, it was an almost hysteric laugh, all his thrill and fear making their way out of him. He was alive, Samantha was alive, and even Hermione was alive, and he couldn't stop laughing.

* * *

Remy kept his eyes fixed on the girl lying on the hospital bed. There were other people around him -- Hermione, Luna, Remus, and Sirius and Benjamin, who'd both been already explained what had happened. They were all waiting for Samantha to wake up. Madam Pomfrey kept giving them stern glances. Especially much she eyed Remy. She'd already bandaged the rather nasty claw-wound in his back and told him what healing salve he had to use, but even though she'd insisted that the boy should stay in the Infirmary for some further observation, he'd strictly refused. He hated the place just as much as his father, and had only agreed to stay until Samantha woke up. 

Then Remy saw the tiny girl fluttering his eyelids. Leaning forward, he was at the same time mirrorizing the actions of everybody else in the room.

"How _could_ you, Samantha?" he spat as soon as she was wholly awake. "Did you _think_ at all, or are you even capable of that? Are you sure you shouldn't be in Hufflepuff really? Or, even better, in _Gryffindor_ - always running ahead without another thought about what's going to happen to you! You _knew_ there was something down there, you _knew_ it was dangerous, and still you went there! Did it ever occur you that you could have got seriously _hurt_? That you could have _died_? You little, stupid fool, what the hell were you thinking?"

"That's the way a born Snape says, 'I was worried sick and I care a lot about you,'" Sirius said dryly from the foot of her bed, where he'd settled to stand. "Although he is right, Samantha, that was a very stupid stunt you just pulled."

"I, I didn't know," the girl said weakly, almost on the verge of tears. "I thought it couldn't get up there -- whatever it was."

"Rules exist for a reason," Remus said strictly. "I'm afraid I have to take fifty points from Ravenclaw for this obviously purposeful ignoring of rules. However," he then added, glancing at Remy, Hermione, and Luna, "I do think it would be fitting to award you three fifty House points each for sensible actions in a bad place."

"What about fifty more points for simply letting you live after that completely inappropriate comment?" suggested Remy dryly.

"What about you forget those, and we'll forget your threat for a teacher's life?" asked Sirius, raising his eyebrow. "And what was that inappropriate comment, anyway?"

Remy smirked. "Well, I'd just got Samantha carried out of the upper dungeons or whatever they are when the monster make me fall down, our tiny friend still in my arms," he explained. "So, after this oh-so-brave DADA Professor had blasted the monster away, he said, and I quote, 'Why exactly the only time that you're not in trouble because of Voldemort, you're finding trouble lying on top of a girl?'"

"That's something I would like to know also," Benjamin said jokingly as soon as everybody had got over their laughing fit -- well, Samantha didn't laugh, she just blushed, and Remy merely smirked broadly. "Why exactly were you lying on top of her?"

"Why, isn't it obvious?" asked Remy. "I'm born to be a hero. I've always dreamed of dying while protecting a beautiful blonde behind my back. But when that didn't manage, I thought that a brunette under me would do the trick."

Needless to say, their laughter didn't at least lessen at this. Neither did Samantha's blush.

* * *

Two days later, they were all sitting on the breakfast. To the youngs' great surprise, an owl flew to them, landing in front of Samantha. He reached out his leg, offering the letter that was attached to it. 

"What's this?" muttered Samantha curiously, taking the letter from the owl. Opening the parchment scroll, she quickly scanned down the lines.

Suddenly she paled past white to gray and stood so hastily that she knocked her chair over. Oblivious to Remy's and Hermione's surprised questions, she rushed out of the Great Hall.

Muttering lowly to himself about girls and their weirdness, Remy ran after the tiny girl. Something was not right -- and besides, she might do something stupid again and get herself really hurt this time.

However, he found Samantha only a couple of corridors from the doors to the Great Hall. She was leaning against the stone wall, crying silently.

"Samantha?" asked Remy, slightly worried for his friend. "What's wrong, Samantha?"

The girl raised her teary eyes at him. "M-my mother," she sobbed, clutching the letter against her chest. "She -- oh, Remy, my mother is _dead_!" With that, she flung herself at his neck, crying and sobbing.

For a moment Remy was too stunned to do anything but hold her. Then he attempted to caress her back comfortingly. "Don't cry, Samantha," he murmured. "What happened? Why did she die?"

"She -- she'd been sick for a long time already," Samantha told, trying to retain some control of herself. "It wasn't really a surprise, but -- Remy, I'm so afraid!"

"Why're you afraid?" asked the Snape boy, frowning. He was confused now, and he didn't like being confused.

"Because I've got the same disease!" exclaimed the girl, tears rolling down her cheeks. "That's why I'm so tiny, it's been distracting my growth. It's not really bad with me yet, but it will get worse later."

"Isn't there anything you could do?" asked Remy, now a bit fearful, although he did hide his feelings well, as usual. "Any medicine to take?"

Samantha shook her head sadly. "It's incurable," she said quietly. "Of course they are looking for the cure all the time, but nobody really thinks it will be found -- at least not soon enough for me."

"If there is not a medicine," Remy said, suddenly determined, "I will create one." Seeing the girl's disbelieving expression, he continued, "I promise, Samantha. I will find a cure to your illness. If anybody can do that, then a Snape."

"Somehow, I doubt that anybody can," she muttered. With a weak smile, she then added, "But _if_ anybody truly can do that, then I believe that you have the best chances of managing."

"Exactly." Steadying her by the arm, he added, "Now calm down, Samantha. Nothing will happen to you. I won't let anything happen to you."

"I know that," the tiny girl said quietly. "But I can't help the fact that I'm afraid."

To that, Remy couldn't say anything.

* * *

Three of the following things will NOT happen in the few following chapters:

Remy kisses Samantha in front of Benjamin

Hermione kisses Severus in front of Sirius (and lives to tell of it)

One of the youngs completes their Animagus transformation

Remy writes a letter to Santa Claus

Samantha faints in class

Hermione reads Witch Weekly

Remy walks in on his parents

Samantha gets ill because of her disease

Remy does research on Samantha's disease

Remy botches a potion

Weasley tries to sabotage Remy's potion

Sirius sings a love song to Severus in the middle of the Great Hall

Voldemort asks Hermione for a date

Percy is revealed to be Remus's son

Hermione is revelaed to be related to Malfoys

Severus botches the Wolfsbane Potion and Remy gets almost killed

Remy tries to collect proofs that Santa Claus does exist (He does! Does does does!)

Remus surprises his young namesake

Remy needs a partner for a ball

The author goes raving mad or just simply changes her mind and does something even she didn't expect (Hmm... That's very probable)

The author gets bored and writes another long list full of insane things


	14. Sick Seeker

Disclaimer: Nuh, they're not mine.

A/N: **lucis-aurora**, I think you'd like to know that at least some of what you guessed was right.

* * *

Thirteenth Chapter

Sick Seeker

* * *

The weather was horrible. It was raining dogs and cats, and a cold breeze flew over the school grounds. Yet nobody dared to go inside. A Quidditch match was currently going on.

One could have never expected anybody to be so interested in a Ravenclaw versus Slytherin match. However, when Harry'd become Remy, the Gryffindor team had been at a loss. Their new seeker Ginny Weasley, while good, was nowhere near Harry. As the Hufflepuffs had their worst team for years, everybody knew that the Quidditch Cup would be fought over between Ravenclaw and Slytherin.

The game had been going on for four hours now, and neither of the Seekers had yet shown a sign of seeing the Snitch yet. Neither of the teams had asked to postpone the match because of the weather, though. And so, everybody stayed glued to their benches, staring at the little figures up on the sky.

The Chasers were all doing a fairly good job on both sides, the points being currently even at 300. Everyone's attention was at least partly on the Seekers, however, as the match wouldn't be over before one of them caught the Snitch.

Then suddenly, Draco Malfoy dived gracefully down. Cho Chang immediately followed him, accelerating to reach her competitor. The ground came nearer, and Malfoy reached out his hand. Chang went even faster --

And then Malfoy suddenly curved back up, a wide grin on his face. He hadn't caught the Snitch -- he hadn't even seen it -- but his trick had managed. Chang flew right against the ground, only managing to slow down a bit.

Madam Pomfrey was immediately at the fallen Seeker's side. "She cannot continue playing, she broke her arm," she then announced. "Does Ravenclaw have a secondary Seeker?"

At this, Samantha stood up shyly. "I am," she said quietly.

"Fine. On the field with you," Madam Hooch said, pointing at the field. Samantha nodded, grabbing her broomstick -- of course she hadn't known something would happen, but she'd wanted to be ready immediately in case she was needed, especially when the match got just longer and longer -- and headed towards the field.

Soon enough, the match was in full speed again. Well, not just so -- Malfoy was maybe more experienced, but Samantha was a lot less tired, plus she'd had an excellent teacher. The Firebolt seemed to be made especially for her as she flew over the field, carrying her small, light form with a speed that it had never managed with Harry. Therefore, when she suddenly dived, Malfoy trying to follow her, there was no doubt who was going to catch the Snitch.

* * *

"That was brilliant, Samantha!" Remy said later as the Ravenclaws celebrated their victory. "Especially Malfoy's expression when he realized you'd already caught the Snitch. That was just splendid!"

"I couldn't have done it without your training, though," the girl replied, blushing at the praise she was getting. "Or without your broom."

"Well, hopefully you now know that you don't need any magical broomsticks to win," the young wizard said, smirking. Then he turned towards Hermione. "Have they found out anything about the monster yet, by the way?"

The curly-haired witch shook her head. "I don't think so," she said. "The scans have only shown that it seemingly didn't die even from its flight down from the plane. The dungeons will probably just be sealed tightly to prevent anybody from going there again. It might cost too much to go to fight a monster who can survive that kind of a fall."

Remy nodded. Then he turned towards Samantha again. "I heard that they're going to make you the primary Seeker instead of Chang," he said. "You truly would deserve that. I've rarely seen such performance on a broom as yours today."

"True," said then a nasty voice behind them. As they all turned to look, they saw Jimmy Crow, his nastiest scowl on his face. "I've never seen such a performance, either. That must have been the first time ever I've seen somebody almost falling from their broomstick because the wind blows a bit stronger than a moment earlier."

"Well, she did catch the Snitch, and right in front of Malfoy's nose, too," Hermione snapped. "I do think that tells something of her skills."

"No. It tells of a dumb's luck," the sixth-year replied. "I wouldn't call that skill, Granger. She was merely trying to fool Malfoy and just accidentally found the Snitch."

"You know what, Crow?" Remy said sharply. "Just shut up now. If you know what's best for you, you will shut up."

"Oh, is young mister Snape threatening me?" the elder boy asked mockingly. "I'm so scared I'm trembling of fear! Oh, don't hurt me, oh mighty mister Snape!"

"I'm not threatening you," Remy said coolly. "I'm merely stating the truth." With that, he turned away. "Come on, girls," he said to his friends. "He's not worth our attention."

Crow was left glaring after them, fuming silently.

* * *

A week later, Remy, Hermione, and Samantha were all making their way out of the Great Hall. However, suddenly Remy noticed something that he'd somehow managed to ignore before. "Samantha?" he asked worriedly. "Are you sure you are okay? You look rather pale."

"Of course I am okay," she replied, a bit irritated. This was understandable, though. Ever since she'd told Remy and then Hermione about her disease, Lacentria, they'd been watching out for any sign of illness in her. "Look, Remy, I'm just feeling a bit tired at the moment, okay? That doesn't have to mean that I was dying on you or something. Even I have the right to be tired occasionally, or at least I had it the last time I checked."

"Of course you have," the boy admitted. "But you don't look tired, you look sick."

"He's right, you know," Hermione spoke up. "You truly look pretty bad. Maybe you should go to rest for a while?"

"Believe it at last, I'm _fine_," Samantha snapped. "The next thing I know you'll probably insist on carrying me around!" With this, she stormed off -- or at least she tried to. However, she seemingly had been more than just "a bit tired", since this rushed departure made her faint after only a few steps.

Remy sighed as he caught the little girl just before she hit the floor. "She would do well in Divination," he said dryly as she gathered her on his arms. "Knows what happens next, and intent on lying."

With this he started to carry her towards the Infirmary, Hermione whirling around him worriedly.

* * *

"What's wrong with her?" demanded Hermione worriedly from Madam Pomfrey. "Tell us, please!"

The mediwitch sighed a bit. "Well, she fainted," she started, only to be interrupted by Remy's annoyed huff from the foot of Samantha's bed.

"Well, that much was rather obvious," the young wizard snorted. "The point is, _why_ did she faint?"

"I'm not sure if I can tell you," Pomfrey replied hesitantly. "You see, she --"

"If you mean the fact that she has Lacentria, she has already told us," Remy interrupted her again. "So if it's about that, you can safely tell us. It is about it, isn't it?" he added.

"Well, yes," the mediwitch admitted, sighing a bit. "It's not exactly the disease itself that has put her down -- it cannot do that yet. However, it lowers her defences. So, that horribly long Quidditch match made her catch a Wizarding pneumonia, which then caused her to faint."

"Is it dangerous?" asked Hermione, looking rather pale. Remy merely nodded grimly, his eyes now fixed on his unconscious friend instead of the mediwitch.

"With the right treatment, fortunately not," Pomfrey answered. "However, I'll keep her here for a few weeks to make sure that she doesn't exhaust herself during her recovery. Don't worry, though," she added with a slight smile as she saw a tiny frown appearing between Hermione's eyebrows. "She will be well up and about for the exams!" Then, a small smile still playing on her lips, she said, "Now to the lesson with you two. I'll write a note to your teacher, if you need one."

"No, thanks," Remy replied, "we're currently late from Potions. When will she wake up?" he added then.

"Check here after your lessons," Madam Pomfrey replied. "Bring some of her schoolbooks or the like -- for anything I know about Ravenclaws, she would be bored out of her mind to spend weeks here without anything useful to do."

"On that you're right," Remy replied. Then, after a last glance at their tiny friend, he and Hermione departed from the Infirmary.

* * *

"Samantha!" exclaimed Hermione as she saw her tiny friend sitting on the hospital bed. "You're awake!"

"Yes, I am," the little girl admitted. "Madam Pomfrey told you brought me here. Thank you," she said then, sounding very much like her previously shy self.

"Don't mention it," Remy said, walking in after Hermione, his arms loaded with books. "What should we have done, left you lying on the floor? People have friends for a reason, you know."

"Well, thanks anyway," Samantha replied, smiling a bit. "What are those?" she asked then curiously as Remy put the pile of books on her nightstand, where they could already see a couple of medicine phials.

"We brought your schoolbooks," the young wizard replied. "Well, your schoolbooks and this." He took something from the pile.

"What is it, then?" asked Samantha curiously. The object Remy had in his hand looked like an old text book, but she doubted it had anything to do with any school subject.

"Well," Remy said with a mischievous grin, "to anybody else it will look like additional reading for Charms. Like you notice if you take a look at it, however, it is anything but that."

The tiny girl took the offered book. As she now saw better the coverlet of the book and the letters etched to it, she gasped aloud. "But -- isn't this --" she stammered.

"'_Animagia Exclusiva_?' Yes, it is," Hermione said. "We've both as good as memorized it, and Remy thought that it would give you something to do with your time here."

"It is, after all, the best guide to Animagia in existence," the boy continued with a grin. "Hermione thought that we shouldn't give it to you in case something happens, but I figured that your little adventure in the dungeons taught you a lesson about carefulness and disrespect to rules."

Samantha blushed heavily. "You'll never let me live it down, will you?" she asked.

"Not as long as that scar stays on my back, no," replied Remy cheerily. "And it's going to stay there forever."

"It _could_ be healed in five minutes, it's not that deep," Hermione mentioned dryly. "Remy, being Remy, however, didn't let Madam Pomfrey do that."

"Of course I didn't," the boy replied calmly. "If she did heal it, then what excuse would I have for teasing Samantha?"

"Remus Snape, you're an insufferable git," Hermione huffed. She, however, like Samantha, was smiling.

* * *

The next day Remy was sitting in the library. He wasn't doing his homework; that he would have worked with in his parents' quarters, where good and not-so-good advices were always at hand. Instead, he was doing research -- research on a subject that could have led to awkward questions, had his parents known of it.

In front of him lay several books, all on the same subject -- magical diseases. Each of them was open on the point of the same disease -- or, rather, curse. To be exact, Lacentria.

He'd now found out a lot about the disease that had killed Samantha's mother, and was threatening the girl herself, too. None of what he'd found had been pleasant to read.

Unlike most inheritable diseases that only concerned one gender, and that usually only affected men, this would only show up in witches. Lowering the defences of their bodies and weakening their immune system was not all that the disease did. On one point or another of their life, it would start draining them, of both magical power and life energy. At last, the witches' bodies were simply too exhausted to go on living.

The life expectance was from fifteen to forty. Samantha's mother, having been thirty-seven when she died, had got almost all there was the life could offer to her. Samantha might still have twenty-seven years in front of her -- or just as well two. It could not be said, as Lacentria never warned beforehand before it started to work on its most deadly part. After the draining had begun, it took from half a year to a whole one. Then the ill witch died.

Despite that Lacentria was one of the worst curses known to the wizardingkind, and it had been known for thousands of years, nobody had still managed to invent a cure to it. Many had tried, true -- but none had managed. So, at the moment there was very little hope left for Samantha. This of course disappointed Remy, but it didn't make him give up. Even if nobody else had found the cure, he would. He knew he would.

Suddenly, a voice startled him from his thoughts. "So you're researching Lacentria," said Remus, who'd just stopped next to him. "She told you at last, then?"

"Well, yes," Remy said, hiding quickly his surprise. "But how did _you_ know? She's told that not even the professors know of it!" he added with a bit accusing tone.

"As your Head of House, I'm kind of required to know," replied his elder namesake just as calmly.

Now, Remy couldn't help but just stare at the werewolf, for two reasons, even. One: He knew very well that Remus had been a Gryffindor, even though he would have made a worthy Ravenclaw. Two: They did not have a Head of House.

Truly, none of them actually knew who was the Head of Ravenclaw now, or whether anybody was that. Professor Flitwick had stayed at the school for a couple of months even after Sirius had taken his teaching position. Halfway through November, however, he'd finally retired completely. As there were no other Ravenclaws in the staff, they were now a House without a Head.

...Or so they'd thought.

"I am really the Head of Ravenclaw," Remus told him with a slight smile. "When Filius retired, there was nobody to take his place. I then got re-Sorted, and ended up in Ravenclaw. Nobody aside from the Ravenclaw Prefects and a couple of other students knows yet, though -- well, except for Dumbledore, Severus, Minerva, and Pomona, of course."

"Why haven't you told anybody?" questioned Remy curiously. "What harm could that do?"

"Well, none in fact," replied the werewolf with a slight shrug. "However, the school governors are having enough difficulty with the fact that I'm a werewolf and teaching here. I think Albus wants to give them some time to get used to that thought before revealing that I'm a Head of House, too."

"Sounds reasonable." Then Remy turned again towards his books, frowning a bit. "There are still a couple of things about this I'd like to make clearer," he said. "You don't happen to know where I could find more information?"

"Sure I do," his Head of House replied, smiling a bit. "Just follow me."

And follow Remy did.

* * *

A/N: And the rest are:

Remy kisses Samantha in front of Benjamin

Hermione kisses Severus in front of Sirius (and lives to tell of it)

One of the youngs completes their Animagus transformation

Remy writes a letter to Santa Claus

Samantha faints in class

Hermione reads Witch Weekly

Remy walks in on his parents

Remy botches a potion

Weasley tries to sabotage Remy's potion

Sirius sings a love song to Severus in the middle of the Great Hall

Voldemort asks Hermione for a date

Percy is revealed to be Remus's son

Hermione is revelaed to be related to Malfoys

Severus botches the Wolfsbane Potion and Remy gets almost killed

Remy tries to collect proofs that Santa Claus does exist (He does! Does does does!)

Remy needs a partner for a ball

The author goes raving mad or just simply changes her mind and does something even she didn't expect (Hmm... That's very probable)

The author gets bored and writes another long list full of insane things

...Oh, and did I tell you that the first one to get those three not-happening things right will get the next chapter dedicated to them?


	15. Worth Fighting

Disclaimer: Nope, I only own the OCs.

A/N: Well, I really don't know whether Remy's actions in this chap count for collecting proofs about Santa's existence, but just to be hellish, I'll tell you that's one of the things that are NOT happening. So, most of you were right on one point.

**Jenna Sottle SGS**: You're still reading this? Wow, you astonish me. BTW, if you want to read something completely mpreg-free, check out my new fic, _My Son One and Only_. All pregnant people in that are female, and everybody has both a father and a mother. I promise.

* * *

Fourteenth Chapter 

Worth Fighting

* * *

It wasn't until over a whole month later that Samantha was released from the Infirmary. She'd missed quite a bit of time, but Hermione, Remy, and Benjamin had kept him updated about pretty much everything that was going on outside the walls of the Infirmary. Now, it was nearing Christmas, and the whole castle was full of life and noise. 

Remy and Samantha sat currently in the library. The boy was concentrated on his Charms essay, while Samantha was flipping the pages of Animagia Exclusiva.

"Haven't you already read the book?" asked Remy curiously. "I'd think you've had more than enough time to finish it while you were at the Infirmary."

"Oh, I have read it," she replied lightly. "In fact, I've even practised it some."

"Truly?" Remy raised his eyebrows. "And have you had any success?"

"Well... look," Samantha said, reaching out her hand. Remy watched closely as her brows furrowed in concentration. Some time later fine, soft fur grew slowly from her skin until her hand was wholly covered with it.

"Woah," said Remy in genuine fascination. "That's great, Samantha!"

"Thank you," the girl said, smiling proudly. She had a reason to be proud. Although Sirius praised his students on every occasion available, had Remy taken more after his other father in the matter, praising other people's achievements rarely, if ever.

The boy took the girl's now furred hand into his own. Ignoring Samantha's blush, he petted the fur lightly with his fingertips. "It's soft," he said wonderingly.

"_You_ are soft," replied the girl, fighting down her blush. Why, oh, why did Remy have to hold her hand so gently?

"I'm a Snape," replied the boy, smirking. "We're never soft. It's biologically impossible to us, you see."

"Very well," she said with a small smile, finally gaining at least some kind of control over her reddening face. "It's only your head that's soft, then."

"Insulting your friend, eh? We can't have that, now can we?" Suddenly he then let his Marauder side to get into charge, and startled to tickle her sides. Samantha giggled madly and tried to struggle against him, the fur on her hand disappearing as she lost her concentration.

Fighting against his cheery assault, Samantha suddenly lost her balance, her chair falling back. Remy, who'd been leaning towards her, tried to steady her chair, but only managed to lose his own balance, too. They both fell down in a heap of chair legs, swirling arms and wild giggles.

Remy shoved his chair away, freeing his back from the burden it'd got as the chair had fallen on top of him. His next conscious thought was, '_Oh, shit. I need to get up_.' Samantha was lying half under him, staring up at him with wide eyes.

For a moment he just watched her. Her eyes were wide and bright with joy, her breath coming out in tiny puffs. Fleeting concern for her filled his mind -- could she really be this much out of breath from just a few giggles? Was it an aftereffect of her pneumonia? Or was she already getting weaker? -- but then his eyes found something that interested his teenager mind even more. To be exact, her lips.

There were times when Sirius acted before thinking, and, despite his perfect Snape sense, sometimes Remy had just the same flaw.

So, he bent his head down and kissed Samantha.

At first the girl was too stunned to react in any way. After a moment, however, she started to hesitantly respond to his kiss. Just as they were both starting to enjoy themselves, they were startled apart by a sudden sound behind them.

Benjamin and Hermione stood behind them, both clapping their hands. "Took you certainly long enough," the elder Green said then, grinning broadly. "Although if you ever hurt her, Snape, I will hunt you down and kill you," he added with a bit more serious tone. "Take my word for that."

"I do not doubt that," Remy replied just as seriously. He and Hermione were nowadays protective of Samantha, true -- and Benjamin was twice that. The younger wizard had no doubt that Benjamin would indeed fulfill his threat if he ever hurt Samantha on purpose. Not that he would do it, of course.

"Awww, isn't this sweet," said an all-too-familiar voice then. "But what did I say to you about lying on top of girls, Remy?"

Now the boy finally struggled up, offering a hand to Samantha while trying to appear calm in his namesake's eyes. "I'm not finding trouble now," he mentioned calmly.

"No, you aren't," the werewolf said lightly. "A girlfriend would probably be a better word -- although in my experience, they count for trouble." Then he laughed at Hermione's glare -- Samantha was still too embarrassed to do anything but blush and avoid everybody's eyes -- and turned away. "Just wait till your parents get to hear of this!" he then said to Remy over his shoulder.

"Oh, fuck," muttered Remy. "I'll never get to live this one down."

"So do you regret it?" asked Samantha shyly, looking up to him.

"Anything else," was the boy's reply as he leant forward to place a light kiss onto her lips. "If you do not regret it, of course."

"Of course I don't." And with that, she slipped her hand into his, obviously intent on keeping it there for quite some time.

* * *

Some time later Remy, Hermione, and the two Greens appeared to the Great Hall for dinner. Everybody in the Ravenclaw table stared concentratedly on Remy's and Samantha's joined hands. Even more they stared when Remy pulled out a chair for Samantha, giving her his best charming grin, making him flush slightly. 

Just then Remy's eyes caught Remus whispering something to Sirius and Severus in the Head Table. After the werewolf had got to the end of his message, Sirius flashed his son a bright grin and a thumbs-up sign, while Severus merely raised an eyebrow to the direction of the Ravenclaw table, but didn't look entirely disapproving. Remy replied their gazes steadily, while Samantha, who'd also noticed the signs, blushed again.

"You'd better just get used to it," chuckled Hermione at the younger and smaller witch. "Especially you'd better get used to every girl sending you envious glances. They all want Remy to themselves, and yet you were the one to get him!"

"What, and you don't?" asked Remy playfully. "Why, Hermione. I'm hurt."

"Beware of your words," Benjamin laughed. "You don't want to mess it up the first day you actually have a girlfriend. Believe me, I know -- I've had seven already." With a grin, he added, "Although I don't think Samantha here is of the same type as I am."

"I should hope not," Remy said, smiling. "'Cause if she was similar to you, I could just as well be dating you instead of her, couldn't I?"

"Oh, shut up," huffed Samantha, although a bright smile was gracing her face. "Stop trying to embarrass me. Otherwise, I might break up with you, and an hour hardly is a lot of a relationship, now is it?"

Remy nodded with a grin, then concentrated on eating, although he did steal a couple of glances at his new girlfriend every now and then. Benjamin grinned.

"See, she's got you all whipped up already!" the elder Green said. "Ouch," he then said, as the younger one threw a carrot at his head.

* * *

The boys in Remy's dorm had all gathered to one place -- well, all but Julian Watson, anyway. One of them had an announcement of some kind to make, so they all had to listen. 

"Now, listen to me, you all," said Tom Watson seriously. "Julian doesn't know yet that Santa Claus doesn't exist. And as he's just a kid, I don't want him to find out, either. Let him be little for still some time more. So, any of you telling him anything he's not supposed to know will be personally dealt with by _me_. Understood?"

They all nodded. While Julian was tiny and energetic, always going somewhere, Tom was big. Not fat, mind you, but tall, muscular, and a lot faster than he looked like. He wasn't the Ravenclaw Beater for nothing, after all. Not many seventh-years dared to argue with him, and definitely not any of his own age.

"Snape?" asked Tom still for a confirmation. Of course. As he was a Snape, everybody always expected him to be as nasty as possible.

Remy's thoughts, however, were somewhere entirely else. They were on a little kid -- a four-year-old little boy -- who was standing in front of his aunt and uncle, terrified. He was just being told that Santa did not exist, and definitely would not bring him anything. He was also told that if he even hinted a word about this to his cousin -- who of course was going to get a lot of presents from "Santa Claus" -- he would lose even the few toys he now possessed, and be locked into his cupboard for the whole Christmas Day.

Also, Remy remembered -- remembered, as this truly was one of his memories from the time he'd been Harry Potter, a very young Harry Potter at that -- very well the feeling of a great loss, disappointment, and sadness. Being a Snape by blood didn't mean that he didn't understand or have feelings; it only meant that he did not show them willingly. Thus, he understood enough to know that he did not wish that fate to anyone, and definitely not on little, happy Julian.

"Don't worry," Remy thus said. "I will not hint a word towards him."

* * *

"Ah, do you still believe that crap?" a nasty voice carried to Remy's ears as he, Samantha, Hermione, Benjamin, and some other Ravenclaws were making their way to the breakfast. "Grow up at last, brats. You should know by now that Santa doesn't exist. He's just a stupid fairy tale your parents have made up to amuse you." 

Remy and Benjamin exchanged stern glances, then looked at the few other boys from their dormitory who were present. James Kilroy, the older Watson, and Lee Cruss all nodded in confirmation. Julian looked startled, like some other first-years around them.

"I would recognize that voice anywhere," muttered Remy as he headed towards the corridor where they'd heard the nasty words from. "Jimmy Crow. He's truly the worst kind of a bastard I've seen in my life."

And true, Crow it was. He was just taunting a few first-years, one Ravenclaw and two Hufflepuffs. A fourth one, a Gryffindor, was crying some way from them. "Stop weeping, brat," spat Crow. "I think it's about the time you face the reality."

"Well, _I_ think it's about the time that _you_ face the reality," Remy said coldly. "'Cause you obviously haven't noticed yet that lying is a very bad thing. Especially if you lie to those younger than you."

"Don't care about him," Hermione hurried to say to the startled first-years Crow'd been taunting, while Samantha tried to calm down the distraught first-years. "He's just a nasty bastard. He's unhappy because he's been nasty and knows he won't get anything nice from Santa Claus."

"Santa Claus does exist, doesn't he?" sobbed the crying little girl. "The nasty boy was just lying, right?"

"Exactl-" started Hermione, interrupted by Crow's sudden shout, "NO! Santa Claus does _not_ exist! It's not him who brings you presents!"

Now, Remy'd had enough. Even now he had to do his everything to keep away the disturbing image flying around in his mind. "_Santa Claus does not exist_," he heard Vernon Dursley's harsh voice. "_He will not bring you any presents_..."

When Crow then laughed cruelly as another first-year bursted into tears, the ponytailed boy flung himself forward, attacking the other young wizard. Soon James Kilroy, too, came to fight, although that wasn't after one of the less anti-Crow guys who'd been watching him taunting the first-yars decided to join into the fight. Soon the elder boys were all fighting with each other, Samantha, Hermione, and a couple of other girls trying their best to keep the younger students out of their way.

Suddenly, however, their fight was interrupted by an angry question. "What exactly is going on here?" demanded Severus, eyeing the sight in front of him. As the boys stopped and he noticed his own son in the middle of it all, he frowned even deeper. "I do not care how this came about," he said sternly. "Everybody involved with this fight will come to my classroom for a detention tonight at six o'clock sharp. No, not you," he said, rolling his eyes as the ones who hadn't been actually fighting looked startled. "Only anybody who kicked or hit or punched or backhanded or bit orin any other way participated in the beating-each-other part of this whole ordeal." At Remy's glare, he added, "And no, nobody will get out of this one. This is an absolute disgrace!"

"That nasty boy said that Santa doesn't exist," one of the first-years dared to say, pointing at Crow. "That's not true, is it, Professor? Santa does exist, doesn't he?"

For a moment everybody was strained to hear his answer, expecting him to crush the child's hope. Remy'd already vowed to not talk to his Father ever again unless asked something on a lesson -- after all, a wrong word from Severus would crash everything he'd got into this fight, and detention, for -- but then he was shocked.

"Of course he does exist," replied Severus, not even blinking as he said this. "He's Headmaster Dumbledore's great-grandfather. And Crow," he added, "that's an additional detention for lying to younger students." Then he turned around to leave.

Remy, however, hurried after his father. "Father?" he asked hesitantly. "Why did you say that?"

Severus raised an eyebrow. "Despite what you think, I am not a sadist," he said levelly. "And if you consider protecting Santa's reputation worth a fight, I sure as hell won't interfere. I know the Dursleys were not pleasant." As Remy involuntarily winced, the Potions Master nodded calmly. "Just like I thought, then," he said. "Now, do hurry along to breakfast. Your girlfriend is waiting, and considering that you have a detention tonight, you might like to spend some time with her now."

* * *

"You must be kidding." The other boys didn't dare to voice their disbelief, but they all nodded in mute agreement to Remy's comment. 

"Oh, but I indeed am," Severus said, smirking. "You got yourself into a detention, now suffer the consequences. It wouldn't be much of a punishment if you liked it, eh?" With an even broader smirk, he added, "Besides, as you were so intent on protecting Santa Claus's reputation, he'll surely be delighted to receive your letters."

"A punishment?" To all of their great shock, Remy started to grin broadly. "What do you mean? I never thought we might have so fun detention! Give me the parchment, I want to get started immediately!" Without waiting for his shocked father's response, he jumped up from his seat and fetched himself a sheet of parchment, then started to write on it, whistling cheerfully all the time.

For some time the other boys just stared at him. Then, however, they caught on the trick. Whistling the tune along with Remy, they all started to merrily write their letters.

Severus wasn't stupid, however. After watching their cheerful writing for some time, he said, "Oh, and by the way, I want to see your letters before you send them. A copy of each will be read in the Great Hall at lunch tomorrow."

Most of the boys winced, their writing slowing down considerably. Remy, however, merely went on writing, dotting happily down a line after line. At last, he was finished, far before the others.

"I'm done with my letter," he said then, looking up to his father. "May I leave now?"

"Let me see it at first," replied Severus curtly. He took the letter from his son's hands.

"_Dear Santa Claus_," the letter read.

"_I would like to say that I've been a good boy, but considering that I'm writing this in a detention, I don't think that'd be very believable. However, I'd like to point out that I got this detention for fighting with a boy who was telling younger students that You don't exist. Maybe that could be counted as a good deed?_

_"Anyway, I probably should make some wishes now. At first, I'd like to have a new cauldron -- but not one of those standard pots used in Potions class, they're just useless. I'd also like to have the '_Potions in General Use_' by Geralda Galleon._

_To myself I wish nothing else, aside from a few sweets. To my Dad, however, I'd wish some patience --"_ At this, Severus nodded, "_-- so he wouldn't go around like a kicked puppy every time my Father isn't willing to sleep with him_." Now, Severus didn't nod anymore. He just looked scandalized.

"_Also, if you could make my Father a bit less uptight, that'd be good as well. Although Dad's behaviour_ _is irritating, I also kind of understand him. He's always complaining that he has to fill official forms and get them accepted by the Ministry whenever he wishes to have sex. Knowing Father, that isn't even too far from the actual truth."_

Severus did not read any more, even though the letter still went on. He simply glared at his son with a mighty scowl. "You'll write a new one," he said sharply.

"I protest at that," Remy said calmly. "There's nothing inappropriate in my letter. I want another opinion from my Head of House or the Headmaster."

For a moment Severus just stared at him, knowing very well that every boy in the room was staring at him. There was no way he could give in. If Remus saw that letter, he'd never let him live it down -- and Albus would be even far worse. He drew a deep breath. "Get out of here," he said through clenched teeth.

"May I have my letter back first?" Remy asked innocently.

"Stay for ten seconds more, and you'll spend your Christmas holiday scrubbing the Great Hall with a toothbrush," replied Severus just as calmly.

So, the other boys watched enviously as Remy laughed and took off, leaving his father glaring after him. While glaring, Severus burned the offending letter, never finishing reading it.

* * *

A/N: And we have left... a lot! I added new ones, too! To make it a bit more difficult... One of those 'not's was revealed already, you see, and besides, I've changed the 'not's around a bit. There are three again... But nobody's guessed right all those, do not worry, I'm not being unfair! And the right ones of **lucis-aurora**'s guesses still stand... No, I'm not telling which of those were right! 

Hermione kisses Severus in front of Sirius (and lives to tell of it)

One of the youngs completes their Animagus transformation

Samantha faints in class

Hermione reads Witch Weekly

Remy walks in on his parents

Samantha slaps Remy

Our heroes visit the Weasleys

Remy botches a potion

Weasley tries to sabotage Remy's potion

Dumbledore's new spy is revealed to Remy&co

Sirius sings a love song to Severus in the middle of the Great Hall

The Monster is not dead

Samantha hears of the Order

Voldemort asks Hermione for a date

Severus gets a very embarrassing Christmas present that involves sex

Voldie-poo is the topic of discussion

Percy is revealed to be Remus's son

Hermione is revelaed to be related to Malfoys

Remus (the older one) becomes suicidal

Severus botches the Wolfsbane Potion and Remy gets almost killed

Remy needs a partner for a ball

Hermione gives an interview to Rita Skeeter

The author goes raving mad or just simply changes her mind and does something even she didn't expect (Hmm... That's very probable)


	16. Christmas Cheer

Disclaimer: Nope, they're anything but mine.

A/N: Remy's rather Marauderish in this chap... Well, it's Christmas, after all!

* * *

Fifteenth Chapter 

Christmas Cheer

* * *

"Who are going to stay here over the holidays?" asked Hermione as she saw Remy examining the list that had appeared to the wall of their Common Room that morning. "I'm not stuck here alone with Chang, am I?" 

"Oh, no," Remy said with a smirk. "I'm staying, for one -- it's hardly safe for Father to leave Hogwarts, and where would I go, especially without my parents? And Luna Lovegood will be here, too, plus a couple of younger students."

"And me, too," Samantha said from his side. "Ben's going, though."

"What? Aren't you going home for holidays, Sam?" asked Hermione, surprised. "I'd think your father wants you both home now that your mother..." Her voice trailed off.

"Most probably," Samantha said, shrugging a bit. Then she added with a sad sigh, "But I don't want to go home. I know that if I do, my Father will spend all his time glancing sadly at me and sighing. I do know that I'll probably die of my disease, and I most certainly don't want to be constantly reminded of that by him."

"You will not die of it," Remy said determinedly, wrapping his arms around his tiny girlfriend's shoulders. "I will not let you die."

Samantha smiled weakly. "Thanks, Remy," she said, "but somehow I don't think that even you can help me."

"If anybody, then Remy can," Hermione said confidently. "He's a Snape. There's no way he wouldn't achieve something he's set his mind on."

"Well, thank you for having some confidence on me," Remy said with a slight smile at Hermione. "And on that note... my dear parents have asked me to spend the Christmas Day with them in their quarters. Would you like to come also?"

"Of course we'll come," said Samantha immediately, and Hermione nodded in agreement. Then the tiny girl shyly added, "If it's okay with your parents, of course."

"Do you think I would even ask you if it wasn't?" Remy asked, raising an eyebrow. With a laugh, he said then, "Come on, now. We'll be late from breakfast."

* * *

It was the last weekend before Christmas holidays, and Dumbledore had declared it a Hogsmeade weekend to give them the opportunity to do some shopping for Christmas presents. Remus and Sirius were among the teachers watching the students -- and of course, Kingsley Shacklebolt just happened to be in the town. 

"Aww, drop the act at last," Sirius sighed, rolling his eyes at his two friends. "If you want to kiss, then do kiss, for Merlin's sake! I promise not to laugh!"

Kingsley chuckled, then wrapped his arms around Remus's shoulders and kissed the werewolf. Remus, of course, wasn't too unresponsive. Sirius grinned.

Just then somebody clapped their hands behind them, and the two wizards immediately broke apart. When they turned around, they saw Remy clapping his hands, a satisfied smirk on his face.

"Awww, isn't this so sweet," he said in a mock repeat of Remus's own words from the earlier incident about Remy and Samantha's kiss. Samantha and Hermione, who were both standing on his sides, smiled broadly.

Remus blushed in embarrassment. "You brat," he muttered. "You should be busy buying Christmas presents, not sneaking up to your professors!"

"Well, you sneaked up to us," the boy replied lightly, wrapping his arms around Samantha's shoulders. "I think it's only fair to pay you back for it." Ignoring the dirty gaze Remus sent his way as well as Kingsley's slight chuckle, he then said to his companions, "Come on, girls, let's go. They seemingly want some time just by themselves." And then the smirking and giggling trio went their own way.

Remus sighed and rolled his eyes. "That boy's really too much like you, Sirius," he muttered. "No respect at all to adults!"

"Well, you were a Marauder yourself, too," Sirius said with a slight smirk. "You should know what it is like to be an unrespectful teen." Then he winked at Kingsley and walked away.

Remus tried to shout something after him, but was stopped by his lover. "Let him go," Kingsley advised. "Come on, let's go somewhere more private." Remus tried to protest, but was cut off by, "The brats can look after themselves for a while." And so, the not-so-reluctant werewolf was dragged away for a good snog.

* * *

The others had all their eyes fixed on Remy as the young wizard was tearing open the big present he'd got from his father. Sirius chuckled when the wrappers revealed a big, black cauldron. Remy, however, peered inside the cauldron. Then he reached his hand into it and pulled out a thick book. 

"'_Potions in General Use_' by Geralda Galleon," Remy read from the back of the book. "Gee, Father, I wonder how you guessed that I wanted this one?" Samantha and Hermione -- who'd of course been informed of the letter incident -- both giggled. Severus threw him a dirty look, while Sirius only looked curious.

"What's that joke?" asked the Gryffindor, only to be completely ignored. Instead, they all watched curiously as Remy tossed Severus a bright-coloured parcel.

Severus raised an eyebrow when he opened the present and found a stash of parchment slips inside. Curious, he picked up the first one.

'_Headache Pass_,' he read -- not aloud, though, he had more sense than that. '_Gives the owner the right to turn down a horny husband one (1) time without further arguments._' And all the others were just the same.

"Well, what it is?" asked Sirius with genuine curiosity. As he saw the expression on his husband's face, he said, "Awww, so it's something embarrassing, isn't it?"

Trying to will the flush on his cheeks to disappear, Severus turned towards his son. "That is ten points from Ravenclaw for your cheek, Remy," he said as calmly as he could. "And besides -- these are hardly valid."

"Oh, crap," said Remy, not sounding the tiniest bit sorry. "It's a good thing I have another present for you, then." He tossed another parcel at his father.

Severus eyed his grinning son suspiciously as he opened the parcel. As he saw what was inside it, he snorted. "You know, Remy," he said, "for a teenager boy who's trying to completely deny the fact that his parents do have a sex life, you have a surprisingly dirty mind."

"Why so?" asked Sirius curiously. Before his husband could stop him, he'd already looked inside the box in Severus's hands. Seeing the present, he bursted into laughter. "Spot on, Remy," he then chuckled. "That's ten points to Ravenclaw."

The teens watched all with a great interest how Severus blushed partly from embarrassment, partly from rage at his husband. Then, tossing the box towards his husband and only barely avoiding the Grim Animagus's head, he stormed out of the room, sending a dirty glare at his son's direction.

"What is it?" asked Hermione curiously, trying to see inside the box. "Whatever could make him so angry?"

"Well, I do think these were doing a rather good job," Sirius said, smirking. He raised from the box a pair of handcuffs, padded with pink fur. Both girls blushed and started to giggle, while Remy's smirk only broadened.

"Really, Remy, you are too much a Marauder," Hermione said after getting over the giggling fit. "Or, rather, you are too much a pervert."

"Only when it comes to teasing Father, I can assure you," Remy said lightly. "He's just begging for it, he's --" He never got to finish his sentence, as the others had just bursted into laughter at the double entendre in his words.

"Oh, my," giggled Samantha, swatting Remy playfully over the head. "You try to tease _me_ that way, and you're dead, Remus Altair Marcus Snape!"

"Don't worry," the boy replied, grinning. "Like I said, I only tease Father that way. Your present is completely safe." With this, he gave her a large, light blue present from behind his back.

Samantha carefully opened the parcel. When she saw what was inside, she at first gasped, then laughed. "Thank you, Remy," she said as she took the big, golden stuffed bunny from the package and hugged it. "It's adorable."

"Look at its wrist," commanded Remy. "There's your other present."

Samantha looked, and her eyes widened. There was a beautiful golden bracelet fastened around the bunny's round paw. "Wow," she breathed, reaching out a hand to carefully unfasten it. "It's -- it's so _beautiful_!"

"Just like its owner, then," Remy said cheerfully. "Here, let me help you put it on." As she just nodded mutely, he took the bracelet from her hand, wrapped it around her wrist and fastened the lock.

For a moment Samantha just stared at the bracelet, wordless. Then she flung herself at his neck. "Thank you so much, Remy!" she exclaimed before kissing him.

"You're welcome," Remy said with a grin as they broke apart. "Thank you for your present as well." He glanced at the watch on his wrist. "Wizarding clocks are rather useful, yes, but they're hardly of any use when you try to figure what the time is."

"Useful, yeah," said Sirius with a grin, nodding towards the clock on the wall, where all three hands were pointing at a different position. Sirius's own showed, "Happy and well," Remy's, "Mischief managed," and Severus's, rather unsurprisingly, "Sulking." "Although I do wonder when Sev's going to return," he added then.

"I can go to look for him," Hermione offered. The curly-haired witch was just leaving the room when she collided with Severus, who had chosen just that moment to return. For a moment they both just stood there, startled.

Then, however, they heard an exclamation behind them. "A mistletoe!" shouted Remy amusedly. "You're under a mistletoe!"

Now both Hermione and Severus looked up, even more startled than before. And truly, a mistletoe was hanging from the doorframe above them.

After a moment of startled silence, Hermione thought, '_Oh, to the Hell with it_.' Raising to her tiptoes, she planted a light kiss on the Potions Master's lips. The contact only lasted for a second; then a pair of strong hands grasped her shoulders and simply lifted her away from Severus.

"He's already taken, sorry," Sirius said with his most charming grin. "Although I do thank you for stopping him on the right place." And then he stepped forward and kissed his still stunned husband firmly on the lips.

At last Severus managed to push his husband away, glaring slightly at the three smirking teens. "These came just by owl," he said briefly, tossing both Hermione and Remy a parcel. They looked curious, but set to open them anyway.

Remy gasped when he finally saw what was inside. "She never gives up, does she," he said quietly, eyeing the icy blue sweater with a big 'R' on it. Hermione nodded slowly, looking at the box of homemade fudge she'd found inside her own present.

Sirius nodded as he saw their presents. "Molly isn't one to give up her affection easily," he said. "And on that note -- Remy, you'll come with us next week to visit the Burrow." At his son's suddenly startled expression, he hastened to add, "Do not worry, Ronald will not be there. It's -- well, it's Order business."

"What 'Order'?" asked Samantha curiously. She of course knew that Voldemort was back, but unlike Remy and Hermione, she did not know of the Order of the Phoenix.

"The Order of the Phoenix," Severus replied for his husband. "It's a group of people working against The Dark Lord. We're both part of it, Sirius and I, and Headmaster Dumbledore is our leader."

"Oh!" Samantha looked surprised. "So it's not only the Ministry opposing him, then?"

Now, Sirius couldn't help but laugh. "I'd like to see what the Ministry has ever done to oppose You-Know-Who," he said. "They don't even admit he's back, for Merlin's sake! No, at the moment it's only the Order that's even trying to stop the bastard."

"I understand." Now, Samantha looked really interested. "How can you join the Order?" she asked.

Severus shook his head. "Sorry, but the members must be out of the school already," he said. "The best you can do is to make sure that my foolish son doesn't get himself killed. He's still the Boy-Who-Lived, and our best chance to destroy Voldemort." As Sirius gave him a startled look, he rolled his eyes. "Oh, for Merlin's sake," he sighed. "It's just a _name_, Sirius. Fear of the name grows the fear of the thing." As Remy gave him a weird glance, he snapped, "What it is?"

"Oh, nothing," his son replied lightly. "You just sounded exactly like Headmaster Dumbledore for a moment."

"Merlin forbid that," muttered the Slytherin. "Next thing I know I'll be eating lemon drops!" Of course, he did not appreciate the fact that the others all laughed.

* * *

A/N: So, our leftovers at the moment are: 

One of the youngs completes their Animagus transformation

Samantha faints in class

Hermione reads Witch Weekly

Remy walks in on his parents

Samantha slaps Remy

Our heroes visit the Weasleys

Remy botches a potion

Weasley tries to sabotage Remy's potion

Dumbledore's new spy is revealed to Remy&co

Sirius sings a love song to Severus in the middle of the Great Hall

The Monster is not dead

Voldemort asks Hermione for a date

Voldie-poo is the topic of discussion

Percy is revealed to be Remus's son

Hermione is revelaed to be related to Malfoys

Remus (the older one) becomes suicidal

Severus botches the Wolfsbane Potion and Remy gets almost killed

Remy needs a partner for a ball

Hermione gives an interview to Rita Skeeter

The author goes raving mad or just simply changes her mind and does something even she didn't expect (Hmm... That's very probable)


	17. The Gone Returns

Disclaimer: Nope, I do not own them.

A/N: I'm sorry for not paying so much attention to my other fics, but a giant goldfish is threatening to eat me if I don't update this one. No, no kidding. I'm grave serious. Really.

Oh, and this chapter is dedicated to **scap3goat** for that wonderfully long review. I love those.

* * *

Sixteenth Chapter 

The Gone Returns

* * *

Remy eyed warily the house in front of him. Then he tucked at the braid he was wearing his hair on for a change, drew a deep breath, and walked towards the door. His both fathers followed him, watching his reactions closely. 

The door was opened almost before Remy had even time to knock on it. "Oh, my boy, how good it is to see you!" exclaimed Molly, closing the boy into a warm embrace. Eyeing him from head to toe, she then added, "Oh, you've truly grown since I last saw you! And you look a lot better, too," she concluded.

"Give the poor boy some rest, Molly," Arthur said form behind her back. "And let them inside, it's freezing out there." He then nodded at the two men who were standing behind their son, vaguely amused expressions on both their faces. "Severus, Sirius. Good to see you two, too. Come inside, will you."

They all followed their hosts into the house, shrugging off their cloaks. Molly smiled even more warmly than before when she saw that Remy was wearing the sweater he'd got from her as a Christmas present. "Oh, do you like it?" she chirped.

"Very much, thank you," Remy replied quietly. He still hadn't given up being wary. Thankfully, Molly didn't seem to notice it, she was too busy chattering briskly.

"Everybody's here who's supposed to be here," the motherly witch said. "Come here now, they're all anxious to see you. Especially you, Remy," she added then.

Remy nodded a bit. He did not know who "all supposed" consisted of, so it had to be forgiven to him if he remained wary. Even if Molly still seemed to consider him an extra son despite Ron's hostile behaviour, the other Weasleys would maybe not do that. Ron was a true example of how just the change in his looks and name could change the people's opinions about him drastically.

They soon had arrived Molly and Arthur to the now crowded living room of the Burrow. Everybody locked their eyes at Remy as soon as he'd entered the room. Remus and Kingsley were both there, and Mad-Eye Moody and Charlie Weasley, and a witch with shocking green hair he didn't recognize, as well as a just as unrecognizable, not exactly trustable-looking wizard. He did recognize, however, Arabella Figg from his -- no, the Dursley's neighbourhood, and, to his even greater shock, Percy Weasley. Now, there was one person he hadn't expected to see -- from what he'd heard from Ron before their falling-out, Percy worshipped Minister Fudge and would never take Dumbledore's word above his.

"I think it's time for introductions," Severus said dryly as he came to the room after his son and husband. "This is Remus Snape, our son, better known as Remy so as not to be confused with our pet wolf over there." He nodded towards the older Remus, who merely grinned in response. "Remy, I hardly think the Weasleys, Remus, Moody, or Kingsley have to be introduced to you. You might also recognize Arabella Figg. This one here," he pointed at the green-haired witch, "is Nymphadora Tonks, a Metamorphmagus. Well known for being the clumsiest person on Earth."

The witch grinned and waved at him, and then her hair suddenly turned bubblegum pink. Remy couldn't help but blink in surprise, and her grin grew even broader.

"And as for that man over there," continued his father, nodding towards the strange wizard who was now starting to doze off, "well, he's Mundungus Fletcher. Keep clear of him if you don't want to risk your possessions, he's quite a thief."

"Well, I do know them now," Remy said warily, "but I still do not understand what _certain_ people are doing here, exactly." With this, he gave a meaningful glance at Miss Figg and Percy, not bothering to mention why he was unsure about them.

"Well, that's simple, really," Sirius said, grinning as he sat on the arm of the last free armchair Severus had just claimed, watching his son, who calmly sat down on the floor. "You see, Bella here, aside from being the most wonderful old lady I've ever known, is also an important member of the Order, not to mention a Squib."

"And you're still the most shameless flirt I've ever seen, Sirius Black," the mentioned woman huffed. "Honestly, I would have thought that your husband and son being present would put you down a bit!"

"Never, Bella m'dear," Sirius replied cheerfully. "I still do love you." Then he turned towards Remy again. "And as for our dear Percy's qualifications... Well, I'm sure he can show them to you by himself." He nodded at the young Weasley, who, after a moment of hesitation, pulled up his left sleeve, revealing the mark there.

More precisely, the Dark Mark.

Remy raised his eyebrows. "Well, either Dumbledore has indeed a wicked sense of humour when it comes to marking the members of Order, or I have just realized who exactly took the resident Death Eater spy's vacancy after my dear Father blew his precious cover." At this, he gave a quick glance at the mentioned Slytherin.

Severus rolled his eyes. "Thank Merlin you didn't start to scream bloody murder at the sight of that mark," he muttered. "At that point I would have disowned you."

"No, you wouldn't have," Remy replied lightly. "If you didn't do that by the time you'd opened your both Christmas presents, nothing I might do would make you do that." Seeing Severus's usually pale cheeks flare up at half rage, half embarrassment, he smirked. "Do you want me to tell everybody about them, or will we get to the point?"

"That's what I'd like to ask as well," Moody grumbled. "What's the boy doing here, anyway? I thought only qualified wizards or witches could get to the Order -- no exceptions, not even from your precious son," he added snidely, glaring at Severus.

"Now, now, Mad-Eye, no reason to get so moody," Sirius said, chuckling slightly at his own pun. Like the Sirius-serious ones weren't bad enough. "This is not a real meeting of the Order -- more like a gathering of the inner circle, to see where we are going at now." He nodded at Severus. "Explain."

"Very well." Severus drew a deep breath, then started, "Albus has told me that some of the Order have posed certain questions at him. Usually the consent of these questions has been, how can we defeat the Dark Lord now that there's no more Harry Potter?" As Remy snorted slightly, he glanced sideways at his son before continuing, "Now, Albus is hoping you would put these rumours to rest, each on your respective side. As you see, our son does have that blasted scar on his forehead." They all saw that, nodding, and Severus continued levelly, "Even though he's no more Harry Potter, it is obvious that he is still the Boy Who Lived. Therefore, we do still stand a chance against the Dark Lord."

"Well, that's a relief," Miss Figg muttered. "So you aren't any more James's son, then?" she asked then from Remy.

"I never was, really," the teen replied calmly. "He only adopted me. In reality, James Potter never had a biological son."

"Well, actually..." a quiet voice said, drawing all of theirs attention to its source. Remus squirmed uncomfortably, then continued, "Actually, James _did_ have a biological son... Not for a long time, though."

Sirius gave his friend a serious glance. "That's a story you've never told us," he said very quietly. "I've never heard that James had a son. What is this about?"

"Well, we were young," sighed the older Remus, his eyes fixed on the ground. "Young and very, very stupid. We did not think about the consequences of our actions. So, when we were still at school, I got pregnant." A silence had fallen, and when he now made a small pause, nobody said anything to interrupt him. So, he continued to explain. "Of course, we were in no position to keep the child, but I just couldn't terminate it. Keeping the pregnancy secret from everyone, even our friends, I carried the child to term and gave birth to him. Then, not even seeing him properly as I figured it would be easier that way, I let James take him. Because we'd decided so beforehand, James then gave him to Ministry officials to be given up for adoption. There were no demands to lift the Charm at any age. We wanted only the best for our son, it wouldn't have done to at first let him grow to love someone as his parents and then take him away from his home.

"As James is now dead, I'm the only one who could lift the Charm - in theory, of course, even though I cannot, not really. I have no idea where my son is, or who adopted him. It could have been anybody, from anywhere. Maybe he's still alive somewhere, maybe he was killed in the First War, I don't know. I'll never know."

The silence went on for a long time. At last, Severus dared to speak. "Every Adoption Charm requires the child to be named at first," he reminded. "That name is what lifts the Charm when spoken by somebody qualified to do that, like happened in Remy's case, and that's also what it is based on. So, what was your son's name? If I may ask," he then added, in a moment of rare hesitation.

Remus just smiled sadly, then sighed deep. "Where do you think we got the name, 'Harry James Potter?'" he asked quietly.

Whatever reaction he had expected, it certainly wasn't what he got. While everybody else remained silent, staring at the werewolf in shock and surprise, Percy let out a strangled cry, raising a hand to his throat as if somebody had been strangling him. In front of their terrified eyes he collapsed to the floor.

And then, he started to change. His blazing red hair at first darkened into dark brown, then again lightened until it was the same golden-sandy hue as Remus's hair, minus the premature greying. The pale, freckled skin became slightly tanned, and suddenly lacked any freckles. He shortened a bit from his previously tall form, his shoulders broadened a bit, and he otherwise gained some weight to his lithe body, although not a single pound was fat. When the change was complete, he just lay on the floor, unmoving. Unconscious, to be exact.

Remus had half risen from his chair, a look of shock on his face. Then, before he could walk forward or sit back down, he swayed as if going to faint as well.

Sirius, fortunately, was there immediately, taking his friend into supporting arms. "How is it possible that you didn't know?" asked Sirius, still supporting his friend.

"I guess I just never thought about it," Remus said weakly. "During the first War, we hardly ever saw the kids. I only heard that he was adopted when I taught him at Hogwarts. He was sixteen back then, not that I'd known it - he was a year ahead other kids of his age, a fact which I've only learnt just recently. As I thought he was seventeen, I couldn't make any connections between Percy and our little Harry."

It was like this short speech had drained him completely, because after saying it, he collapsed on Sirius's arms, much like Severus had done in the Potions classroom when the Charm had been lifted from Remy. Even the reason was the same with them both: the numbing shock of getting back something they'd thought to be lost to them forever.

Remy blinked a couple of this as everything sank in. Then his lips curled into a sad smirk. "Now, isn't this just fitting," he muttered. "Seemingly the world cannot survive without a Harry Potter somewhere."

"Well, hopefully this Harry will be more sensible than the previous one," Severus said dryly, although even he seemed to be a bit shocked at this. Glancing around, he noticed that almost everybody was too shocked to do anything. Molly was clutching on Arthur's robes, and the wizard was trying to calm his wife. Tonks's hair was changing colour on every second, her eyes wide, Miss Figg was just staring, and even Mad-Eye looked surprised. Charlie was gaping like a goldfish, staring at his once-brother who seemingly was not that anymore.

Kingsley was the only one aside from the Snapes who seemed to be capable of any sensible action. Quickly kneeling on his lover's side, he collected the werewolf to his arms. "Check the boy," he said quietly to Sirius, nodding towards Percy/Harry who still lay on the ground, unmoving.

Sirius frowned. "Well, I hardly can do much for him," he muttered. "Severus, you don't happen to have anything useful with you, do you?"

"Of course," the Potions Master replied immediately. Reaching for the bag that always hung on his belt, he drew out a small phial and tossed it to his husband, who caught it without trouble. "Make him drink that, and there'll be no problems."

Sirius complied immediately. And truly, soon enough the young wizard sat up, his head in his hands. "Well, that bloody well hurt," he muttered. Eyes widened all around the room. It was well known that Percy never swore. Never.

Well, he wasn't Percy anymore, now was he?

Kingsley, after getting over the first shock, casted a quick "_Enervate_" at his lover. When Remus slowly opened his eyes, he immediately looked at Percy -- well, Harry.

For a moment, nobody said anything. They all just watched in fascination as the two wizards observed each other, father and son meeting for the first time. Amber eyes never left the hazel ones as each man slowly raised a hand in a subconscious gesture, both wiping a strand of honey hair from their face. Again, there was a moment of silence, as if everybody had been afraid of speaking.

Then, as if unable to keep himself back anymore, Remus released himself from Kingsley's arms and flung himself forward to embrace his long-lost son. Harry replied the embrace, a bit awkwardly but still warmly.

The others all just watched them, still not saying anything. Only Molly did something -- wiped a lonely tear from the corner of her eye.

After all, while Remus gained a son, she lost one.

* * *

A/N: Still remaining options: 

One of the youngs completes their Animagus transformation

Samantha faints in class

Hermione reads Witch Weekly

_Remy walks in on his parents_

Samantha slaps Remy

Remy botches a potion

Weasley tries to sabotage Remy's potion

Sirius sings a love song to Severus in the middle of the Great Hall

The Monster is not dead

Voldemort asks Hermione for a date

Voldie-poo is the topic of discussion

Hermione is revelaed to be related to Malfoys

Remus (the older one) becomes suicidal

Severus botches the Wolfsbane Potion and Remy gets almost killed

Remy needs a partner for a ball

Hermione gives an interview to Rita Skeeter

The author goes raving mad or just simply changes her mind and does something even she didn't expect

...As a little treat, I'll reveal that the italized one will happen in the next chap. I promise.


	18. Surprises and Spying

Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own any of it.

A/N: Geez... My brains took a vacation while I wrote this chap... Well, otherwise I probably couldn't have, I sometimes tend to be embarrassed for the characters, and there truly are reasons to that in this chapter... ::giggle::

Have fun!

* * *

Seventeenth Chapter 

Surprises and Spying

* * *

"You must be kidding." Remy stared at his Head of House, not believing what he'd just heard, no matter that he knew Remus would never joke about such a topic. 

"No, I'm not," the werewolf professor replied calmly. "The fifth-year Ravenclaw boy Prefect has got one detention too much for him to continue in his position. Therefore, we need a new Prefect. And even though you have undeniably had a detention, you're on top of your class in every subject, although you tie with Hermione in some of them. You're the best choice for a Prefect."

"Just wait until my parents hear of this," Remy said, flashing a grin as he fastened the offered badge onto his school robes. "They'll maybe even forgive me for some of my stunts!" Before, he would have been happy for becoming a Prefect because it made him something else than just the Boy Who Lived. Now, however, he also was happy because he knew that his parents would be proud. It was an odd feeling, knowing that you had pleased your parents by your actions or achievements -- but it certainly wasn't unpleasant.

"Then you should go to tell them, eh?" Remus suggested, raising an eyebrow. "You were looking for Hermione and Samantha, I take it? Well, when I see the girls, I'll tell them to come down to the dungeons to search you, okay?"

"Thank you," Remy replied, giving Remus one of his rare smiles. True, he smirked often, and whenever his Marauder side got in charge, even grinned. However, his smiles were still rare, and anybody getting one should have been honoured.

Still a broad smile graced his lips as he hurried towards the dungeons, not quite running but certainly not only walking, either.

"Father? Dad?" he called as soon as he'd come to his parents' quarters -- he hadn't bothered to knock, if they had wanted to keep him inside, they would have locked the door. As he'd got in with merely the password, they surely wouldn't mind him coming further into their shared rooms. He spent most of his time there, anyway.

To his great confusion, however, he didn't find his parents in the living room, their studies, or anywhere else. If they hadn't been present, the door would have been locked. At last, he turned to the bedroom door, figuring that if they were up to some inappropriate actions they would have locked the door. As he opened the room, however, he immediately regretted doing that.

Oh, yes, he did see his parents. In fact, he saw far too much. Far too much skin, to be exact. And too few clothes.

The thing was, his parents were in their bed. Both of them. And they were just engaging in something that no child should see their parents doing.

The sight of two naked bodies moving rhythmically together in a sensual dance was almost enough to make him sick. The glint of light on cool metal certainly disgusted him. But what finally did it was a long, shuddering groan, and then the harsh words, "Merlin, Severus, harder..."

"Don't call me that, you slut," came a venomous hiss in response. "Didn't I tell you not to call me that?" A hand slapped viciously on the pale skin. Remy turned green.

"Yes, you did tell me that... Master..."

At that point, Remy's feet, which had been almost rooted to the floor, took to action on their own. Turning around, he banged the door shut, not caring if the men noticed that he'd been watching or not.

* * *

Hermione and Samantha stood behind the door to the two Professor Snapes' quarters, unsure about whether to enter. They were almost sure that Remy was inside already, but only almost. And they didn't want to be there without their friend, no matter how civil both Sirius and Severus had recently been. 

Just as they'd collected enough courage to at least try entering, however, the door was banged open and Remy exited the quarters. The girls started to greet him, but then froze mid-sentence as they noticed that they would not be heard, or at least they wouldn't be understood.

Remy didn't seem to pay any attention to what they were saying. Instead, his hands were waving around frantically, and he was sputtering words and sentences that didn't make any sense. Most of it sounded like pure pig-latin anyway.

"Remy?" asked Samantha, confused. What on earth could have shocked her usually so collected boyfriend like this? What on Earth had happened?

"I think he's gone into hysterics," Hermione said, calmly observing her best friend. "I wonder what has happened. He's a Snape, he shouldn't be this easily shocked."

"Well, let's find out, shall we?" Samantha said then, winking at her. Then she stepped forward, pulled Remy a bit lower by janking the front of his robes, and slapped him on the cheek. "Back to your senses, you git," she muttered.

Truly, Remy stopped his incoherent babble. Instead, he stared at his girlfriend, his ice-blue eyes full of horror. "I'll never recover from this experience," he whispered.

"What? What happened?" demanded Samantha. "You look like you had seen something utterly horrible. Had your parents been murdered, or what?"

"No, not that," Remy replied weakly. "But I have a firm suspicion that they will murder me once they've recovered from their own shock."

"Oh shit..." Hermione's eyes widened. "You didn't walk in on them, did you?"

The boy just nodded mutely. Both girls gagged in disgust. "Aww, my poor dear," Samantha sighed. "That must have been so horrible to you."

"That's not even the worst thing," Remy said quietly. His voice still sounded shaky.

"Oh?" Hermione raised her eyebrows. "What could be worse than that?"

The young wizard swallowed. Then he said, very slowly, "...Father was using the handcuffs I gave to him at Christmas." At this, both girls turned rather greenish.

Just then, the door to the dungeon quarters was opened. Remy jumped in shock, then tried in vain to hide behind Samantha's much smaller form as he saw his carrier looking from the doorway. Sirius thankfully had some clothes on him, trousers and a T-shirt to be exact, and his cheeks were flushed. Whether it was in embarrassment or something entirely else, the youngs did not want to even guess.

"Erm... Remy?" he asked hesitantly. "Look, we're really sorry. I don't know how we managed to forget the locking charms, but I swear!"

"Do not remind me of it!" the boy whined. "Just promise that it will never, ever happen again! Or better even, just simply Obliviate me!"

"Better not trust your mind into his hands," a voice much more collected than either Remy's or Sirius's said from behind the Grim Animagus. "He's known of screwing with things before. Now, come inside, you all, we'll deal with this matter here, and not in the corridor where everybody can hear us."

Truly, mere moments later, Severus had the whole group sitting in the living room of his and Sirius's shared quarters. They were all sipping on some calming herb tea -- Remy had already had three cups -- and only the Potions Master seemed somehow calm. Well, he was the purest Snape there was -- Remy's blood, although pure enough to keep him calm in most situations, was so "tainted" with Sirius's blood that he'd almost panicked. The Gryffindor himself was still blushing heavily, carefully avoiding looking anybody in the eye, or even to the general direction of his son.

"I don't know how I'll never live that down," Remy muttered while he poured himself a fourth cup of the tea, his hands shaking quite considerably. "You're grown men, you should know how to use locking charms! And -- those handcuffs --" He shuddered.

Severus merely raised an eyebrow. "Well, you should not give a present if you don't want the recipient to use it," he said, his own Snapish mask firmly on place.

"If I recall right, it wasn't you using the handcuffs," Remy said, fighting to keep the blush from his face. "Instead, it was Dad, unless I need glasses again!"

Samantha groaned and covered her ears with her hands. "Please, Remy," she whined, "I have mental images bad enough as it is. Do not give any more details!"

"Have pity on the poor girl," Sirius sighed, rolling his eyes towards the ceiling. His cheeks were still more than slightly flushed, though. "And on us all."

"Very well." Severus rose from the chair and walked to the small cupboard on the nearby wall. The others watched curiously as he took out a small, clear bottle full of greenish liquid. Turning back, Severus suddenly snapped, "Hermione! What's this?"

"It's the Samarian Solution," replied the young witch quickly as her ready mind recognized the potion. "It's made of --"

"Enough!" The Potions Master held his hand up. "Remy, what's it made of?"

"Powdered Vendairoot, bat wings, newt tails, unicorn's water, crushed Saturnaloniac and elephant's toenails," his son answered. "It has to be brewed under the light of a new moon, on Saturday."

"Excellent. Now, Samantha, what does it do?" Severus asked from the last teen.

He hadn't really expected an answer -- Samarian Solution wasn't taught until the end of the fourth year -- but he indeed got one. "It -- wipes the drinker's all memories of the last hour," the tiny girl said. She sounded a bit unsure, yes, but was right.

"Five points to Ravenclaw for each of you. And now -- let's have a drink, shall we?"

* * *

"My loyal Death Eatersss," Voldemort hissed, eyeing the black-clad men in front of him, secretly enjoying their fear. Well, not even so secretly. "Do any of you have anything of importance to report to me?" he demanded. One form stepped forward, shivering ever so slightly. Voldemort locked his flaring red eyes at the man, immediately recognizing the familiar turmoil of his thoughts. "Ssspeak up, Percy." 

"My lord," the Death Eater started, his voice wavering but clearly different from what it had used to be, "I've gained a way to get nearer to the traitor and his family."

"Really?" The Dark Lord raised an eyebrow curiously. "What is it? And why do you sound different from before?" he added then with a slightly dangerous tone.

"The way my voice has changed is just a part of the way," announced his servant. "It seems that I never was a Weasley to begin with. Instead, I was adopted -- my biological parents being Remus Lupin and James Potter." After a moment of pregnant silence, the man continued, "My name is now Harry Potter, my Lord. I'm a family friend to Snapes, they'd never suspect me of anything."

"And how," Voldemort drawled, "how can I be sure that you are still loyal to me? After all, if you fathers were both Gryffindors," he said the word with a tone of disgust, "wouldn't you want to disengage yourself from anything... Dark?"

"My Lord, they've lied to me all this time," the no-more-Weasley replied steadily. "It doesn't matter if Lupin is my biological father, he doesn't deserve the name of one, at first giving me up and now trying to tear me from the home where I grew up. Those Gryffindors abandoned me as soon as I was born, they never did anything for me. They do not deserve my loyalty."

"Well, isn't that just great," Voldemort mused. "So I now have Harry Potter in my ranks." He let his mind again examine the young wizard's. All he could find was loyalty to himself, and hatred towards his lying parents, the adoptive ones just as well as the biological ones. "Tell me, can you get near to the Snapes?" he asked.

"Not enough to harm them, I'm afraid, my Lord," sighed Harry. "Dumbledore is protecting them with heavy wards, and the traitor as well as his husband and son are beyond my reach. However," he added then, "it should not be hard for me to tempt some information from my _father_. He's a good friend to the Snapes, I might find out something useful."

"Very well." After a moment of thinking, Voldemort said, "You have pleased me greatly, Percy -- oh, forgive me, _Harry_. Do your best to find out something about the Snapes -- and be ready to strike," he added then.

The man bowed deep. "I will, my Lord," he promised, then stepped back to his place in the row.

* * *

"Well, how did it go?" asked Remus quietly, eyeing his son carefully. "He didn't torture you, did he?" he then continued probing, now rather worried. 

"Nope," Harry replied to his great relief. And yet another difference from Percy could be seen -- or, rather, heard. Percy'd _never_ used the word "nope". "Seemingly he swallowed the whole story our dear cunning Snapes cooked up." He nodded in acknowledgement at the small family, who was also gathered into the room, along with Hermione and Samantha. The tiny girl had been let into more information about spies and Voldemort, although not before Severus had interrogated her with Veritaserum. They could not risk losing yet another spy, especially as this time it could have meant the spy's death. And you could never be too careful.

"Well, that's a relief," Severus said dryly. "Now we'll only have to work out how much information you can pass to him without being accused of not doing your job and without revealing anything really important. That shouldn't be too hard, though -- I managed to survive that game for several years."

"Although not without several touch-and-go situations," commented Sirius with a low grumble and a meaningful glance at his husband's direction.

"Oh, shut up, Sirius," sighed the Slytherin. "I did return alive every time, now didn't I? So what the bloody hell are you complaining about?"

"Severus, mind your language," Remus said with a frown. "There are young ones present, don't you forget that."

"Stuff it, Moony," Sirius said carefreely. "It's not like we could say anything they haven't heard before -- in fact, I'm quite sure that they all, or at least Remy here, know more swear words than I do." Fixing them a stern gaze at his husband, he continued, "You might have returned alive every time, Severus, but it really wasn't by far at some of those times. I still remember --"

"Enough of these oh-so-encouraging comments," Harry interrupted. To everyone's surprise, Sirius indeed did shut up -- well, Harry did have a point, after all. The young man eyed his father and his father's friends. Well, they were his family in the end, too -- after all, Severus was in essence his uncle, having originally been the brother of his dead father. "Now," he said, "let's discuss this spying thing some more. I'm still new in this, and I'm sure you could give me a few pointers, Severus."

"What, James's son taking any advices from me?" Severus raised an eyebrow, amused. "Well, I surely cannot let an opportunity like this pass without trying to plant at least some twisted Slytherin ideas into your poor, innocent, uncorrupted mind."

"A son of two Marauders, innocent?" Remy asked with a smirk. "You must be kidding, Father -- just see how I turned out!"

"Right," muttered Remus. "Maybe I should have been more careful with saying your name aloud, Harry. As nice as it is having my son finally with me, I'm already fearing what will happen once you and Remy can affect each other for a longer time..."

At this, they all laughed. Some of the laughter, however, was very nervous.

* * *

A/N: Well, I've done something I didn't expect. I set up another list. 

THREE of the following will NOT happen:

One of the youngs completes their Animagus transformation

Samantha faints in class

Hermione reads Witch Weekly

Remy botches a potion

Weasley tries to sabotage Remy's potion

Sirius sings a love song to Severus in the middle of the Great Hall

_The Monster is not dead_

Voldemort asks Hermione for a date

Voldie-poo is the topic of discussion

Hermione is revelaed to be related to Malfoys

Remus (the older one) becomes suicidal

Severus botches the Wolfsbane Potion and Remy gets almost killed

Remy needs a partner for a ball

Hermione gives an interview to Rita Skeeter

Of the following, TWO will NOT happen:

Samantha does something _extremely_ stupid

Sirius saves Severus from Avada Kedarva -- by sacrificing himself

Remy ensures that Samantha will not die of her illness

Samantha breaks up with Remy

Hermione gets herself a boyfriend (not Ben, though)

Cho Chang is a bitch

Voldie-poo makes a serious mistake (Ha!)

Remy is romantic

Severus wears pink swimming trunks

Kingsley purposefully touches Remus with silver (yes, the werewolf one)

Harry visits Hogwarts

Voldemort AK's two of our heroes before his defeat

Remy shouts at Samantha

Severus shouts at Sirius

Harry brings his girlfriend to see his father

A large duck with a red nightcap catnaps Mrs. Norris

Our heroes watch Bambi

Sirius pulls a prank

Have fun guessing...


	19. Breakings

Disclaimer: I own very little.

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to **lucis-aurora** for actually guessing where I'm going with this. I thought nobody would guess what was the truth behind the monster, but now I'm beginning to doubt my creativity.

* * *

Eighteenth Chapter 

Breakings

* * *

"There's one thing I don't understand." 

The irritated voice made Severus raise his eyes to his son. "Really?" he asked dryly. "Whatever could there be that's making _you_ confused, o my dearest son?" Sirius raised his eyes from his work, too, and even Samantha and Hermione glanced up from their own homework. It wasn't often that Remy didn't understand it, much less admit that. This was a truly rare occasion.

"Well, everybody keeps saying that Voldemort's appearance changed when he acquired new powers." The boy wiped a long, midnight-black strand behind his ear. "But from whatever I've read, it doesn't seem that magic could affect a person's body in such a way. So, what made the old snakeface different?"

"Not everything can be explained by magic, and magic alone," Severus said, smirking slightly. "Magic cannot alone affect a person's body, no -- but under certain circumstances, it can." Seeing the confused expressions on all three teens' faces, he continued, "Any magical person's mind, magic, and body are all involved with each other. Even though magic can give strength, it cannot cause great physical changes. However, it's well capable of twisting one's mind. If I'm not badly mistaken, the Dark Lord's new powers damaged his mind. After this, his damaged mind twisted his magic, which in turn changed his bodily appearance. As said, magic alone can't change your body -- but when it's controlled by your mind, it can."

"That's just the way you become an Animagus," Sirius said. "A mind can't reach any form, but there's always one animal's form that's especially near to your heart. It's easier to your mind to settle to that animal's position, and then you can force your magic to change your body."

"Hey!" said Samantha suddenly. As they turned to look at her, she said, "Couldn't that have happened with the Student-Eating Horrid Monster of the Ravenclaw Tower, too? I've been wondering where the monster suddenly appeared from. What if it _is_ Matthew Skinner -- he fell down the stairs and hit his head, that's where the blood came from, and then his mind affected his body through magic? It's just a thought," she said, squirming uneasily under their intent gazes, "but I think it might have at least something correct in it. It is, after all, perfectly logical."

"No, it isn't," argued Hermione. "How could he have got food down there?"

"Well, he never graduated, now did he?" asked Samantha. "Therefore, he, in a way, still has a legal reason to stay at the school. Therefore, the house-elves could very well take some food for him. Not a magical barrier can stop a house-elf, you know, especially if they're trying to fulfill their duties."

"Well, as interesting as your theory is," Severus said smoothly, "I hardly think it is correct. Not everything that is logical is true, Samantha, remember that."

However, neither Sirius nor Remy missed the meaningful glance he sent to his husband's direction.

* * *

"Tell me again why you should come with us?" asked Sirius sharply from Remy, who was standing on his side. "If you get killed down there, both Severus and Dumbledore will get my hide immediately for promising you to come." 

"I'm coming with you because you owe me for not telling the girls that you're going," Remy replied calmly. "And because if I am to face Voldemort one day, you cannot keep me safe from dangers forever."

"Very well, then." Sirius glanced at him sharply. "But don't you forget what I told you."

"No, I won't," the boy promised. Then, as soon as they took down the barriers on the door, he hurried inside. The adults exchanged long glances, then sighed, and, each lighting a magical light with their wand, followed the boy inside the Ravenclaw Dungeons.

After they had lowered each other down to the actual dungeons from the plane with levitation charms, they parted ways. Remy and Severus went to one direction, Remus to another, while Sirius stayed right under the plane to keep their returning way safe.

Sirius was quiet as he glanced up the wall. There were deep marks of claws on the stone, like somebody with monstrous claws had tried to climb up it. As the light of his wand travelled up, he saw also long, deep grooves on the solid stone, like something had tried to slow its falling down the fall. And, according to the magical scans they'd run on the Ravenclaw Dungeons, that something had managed in its task, at least well enough to survive.

Just then he heard somebody approaching behind his back. A quick glance showed him a pair of glowing eyes. In an instant he spun around, pointing his wand at the creature that was still hidden by the darkness.

"Easy, mate," Remus said, laughing a bit nervously. "I'm not going to eat you."

"Well, you could have warned me," grumbled Sirius, lowering his wand slowly. "I thought the beast was sneaking up on me!"

"If I had tried to sneak up on you, you wouldn't have heard anything. Not before it was too late, anyway," Remus said confidently. Then he asked, "Where is Remy?"

"With Severus -- I hope," the Animagus sighed. "I told him that he has to stay with one of us all the time, and that wandering off on his own would have him grounded for the rest of his life. The boy's stubborn as hell, though, you never know what weird ideas he might get into his mind."

"Doesn't get it from any strangers, I can tell," muttered Remus under his breath. Fortunately, Sirius didn't hear him, and thus didn't comment on it.

Their half-nervous conversation, however, was suddenly abruptly interrupted as they heard a sudden shout. "Watch out, Remy!" Severus's voice echoed through the dark halls of the long abandoned dungeons.

Then, to the great horror of the two Marauders, they heard a sharp cry. After that, Remus's oversensitive werewolf ears picked the sound of something being tossed against a stone wall -- something that could very well be a human body.

"Father!" Remy called out, his voice laced with fear. At this point, Remus and Sirius were already running to the direction of the voices. They picked up their pace even more, however, when they heard Remy cry out in pain as well.

When they hurried around a corner, a horrifying scene reached their eyes in the dim lights of their wands. Severus was lying motionless in one corner of the small room. In the middle of the room they saw Remy, who was lying on his back on the floor. Above him they saw the crouched monster, which tried to bite the teen, who was obviously using all his strength to keep its fangs away from his face and upper body. Remy's sides were bloodied from several scratches, however, some of which looked rather deep.

"_Stupefy_!" called Sirius immediately, outraged. How did this monster dare to try to attack his little family in such a way?

However, this did little good. The monster was barely startled a bit, and it raised its head to growl at them. Remy tried to use this momentary distraction on his advantage to shove the monster off. This, however, only enraged the beast more, bringing its attention back to him.

Seeing that Sirius's curse hadn't helped much, Remus collected all his Lycanthrope powers, which was a great deal more than your average wizard's. "_STUPEFY_!" he roared then, sending a ruby beam of light to the monster's direction just as Remy's strength started to falter, the monstrous jaws snapping mere inches from his face.

The power of Remus's curse sent the monster flying hard against the nearest wall. It met the wall with a loud thud, and a snap could be heard as the hit broke its neck.

"Well, that was the end of that killer," muttered Remus. Then, seeing that Sirius was already on his son's side, he headed towards Severus. However, like he soon discovered to his great relief, there were seemingly no injuries that he could detect in the Potions Master, aside from the unconsciousness. So, he turned to see Sirius, who was tending Remy, when his eyes met the monster's dead body. A horrified gasp escaped his lips, and his face paled past white to grey.

There was no monster lying on the floor anymore. Instead, there was a man -- a man who was a lot older and thinner than the last time he'd seen him, but still well recognizable to anybody who'd known him as well as Remus had.

Samantha had been right. The monster had indeed been Matthew Skinner, Remus's first boyfriend ever. And he'd been the one to kill him.

"What now, Moony?" asked Sirius, glancing up from his pale son's injuries when he heard the gasp. "Is something wrong or -- oh, sweet Merlin." He, too, was stunned, staring at the monster-turned-man, his jaw hanging open.

Remy, too, forced his head to turn around to see what was astonishing them so much. A slight smirk curled his lips. "So Samantha was right after all," he muttered. "I'm sure she will be... glad to hear it." And then, he fainted.

* * *

"I cannot believe it," muttered Remus, biting his lip. "I simply refuse to believe it. All these years, Matthew was alive down there, and I -- I killed him!" 

"Drop it, Moony," sighed Sirius. "You couldn't know, none of us could. Besides, we cannot know whether his mind could have ever been returned. It was him or Remy back there -- what if you had hesitated and let Remy get killed only to discover that old Matthew, like you once knew him, could not be restored?"

"But he changed back after he died!" the werewolf argued. "That means that he was still in essence a human! Maybe if I hadn't used all my powers, he would have been only stunned. Maybe he'd still be alive -- maybe his mind could have been saved!"

"And then what?" asked Severus sharply. He'd soon recovered from his injuries, even faster than Remy. "You would have explained to him how not only you have another lover, but you also have a son with somebody else than him? And what would you have done with Kingsley, anyway? Told him to sod off as you found your younghood love once again -- or told Matthew to sod off?"

"I don't know," Remus said miserably. "But now I'll never even find out."

"It was not your fault, Moony," Sirius still tried to say. There was, however, a glint in the werewolf's eyes that he didn't like. Not at all.

* * *

"Remy!" greeted a cheery voice. "At last you're back around! Madam Pomfrey wouldn't let any of us to see you, not even Sam!" 

"Shut up, Benjamin, please," the black-haired teen hissed at his dormmate. "I haven't been officially released from the Infirmary yet! If Madam Pomfrey catches me here, the whole Hell will get loose!"

"So you're on bad ways again?" asked the older boy, smirking a bit. "Tsk, tsk, Remy, I'm so very disappointed. I expected much better from you."

"Shut up, will you," the younger one said, glaring sharply at him.

Suddenly, however, Remy got something entirely else to worry about. Samantha was coming up the corridor, and she didn't look at all happy with him.

"Good afternoon, m'lady," Remy said in his usual teasing manner. "How are we mere mortals graced by the presence of an unearthly beauty such as yours?"

This time, however, Samantha did not blush at his words, nor was she amused by them. Instead, her brown eyes flashed dangerously. "Shut up, you prick," she snapped. "I don't want to hear any of that crap from you right now."

"Samantha Louisa Green!" exclaimed Remy in mock horror. "Watch your language, young lady! That hardly is appropriate, especially not in your brother's hearing!"

"The Hell I care!" shouted Samantha. "I want an explanation, and I want it now!" Despite her tiny form she now seemed to tower over Remy, who was taller than any other occupant of the school, with the possible exceptions of Hagrid and his father. Yes, she was truly furious at the moment.

"But Samantha," Remy said, still trusting his ability to talk himself out of anything, "what is it you'd like me to offer and explanation to?"

"You know it very well, Remus Altair Marcus Snape," the tiny girl snapped. "You went to the Ravenclaw Dungeons. You fought with the Horrid Student-Eating Monster, which then hadn't eaten any students after all. You almost got yourself killed, _again_. And I didn't hear anything of all this until after you came back! It wouldn't have hurt to tell me, you know! If I had known, I could have come there with you!"

"And that's precisely why I didn't tell you," Remy replied, his Snapish mask never faltering. "If I had told, and you had come with us, it could have been _you_ who almost got killed. And not only almost!"

"Well, without me you probably would have never even gone there!" Samantha shouted. "It was _I_ who suggested that the Monster might actually be Skinner himself! I should think that would amount to at least getting to come along!"

"Try to understand, Samantha," the boy sighed. "It was really dangerous. Yes, I almost got myself killed. But as I am a far more skilled and experienced fighter than you, it would have been even more dangerous to you. The first time the monster almost killed me was when I was trying to save _you_ from it, remember?"

"So I'm not old and sensible enough to come with you, eh? Then I certainly am not old and sensible enough to be your girlfriend," spat Samantha angrily. "Well, fortunately you won't have to worry about that. Because you know what? I'm leaving you!" And with this, she stormed off.

Remy stared after Samantha's retreating back. For a moment, he was too stunned to do or say anything, leave alone run after her.

"Uh-huh," he heard Benjamin's voice murmuring behind him. "Young Mister Snape, I think you have fucked up royally now." Remy could hardly do anything but agree.

* * *

A/N: You know the drift by now. 

THREE of the following will NOT happen:

One of the youngs completes their Animagus transformation

Samantha faints in class

Hermione reads Witch Weekly

Remy botches a potion

Weasley tries to sabotage Remy's potion

Sirius sings a love song to Severus in the middle of the Great Hall

Voldemort asks Hermione for a date

Hermione is revelaed to be related to Malfoys

Remus (the older one) becomes suicidal

Severus botches the Wolfsbane Potion and Remy gets almost killed

Remy needs a partner for a ball

Hermione gives an interview to Rita Skeeter

Of the following, TWO will NOT happen:

Samantha does something _extremely_ stupid

Sirius saves Severus from Avada Kedarva -- by sacrificing himself

Remy ensures that Samantha will not die of her illness

Hermione gets herself a boyfriend (not Ben, though)

Cho Chang is a bitch

Voldie-poo makes a serious mistake (Ha!)

Remy is romantic

Severus wears pink swimming trunks

Kingsley purposefully touches Remus with silver (yes, the werewolf one)

_Harry visits Hogwarts_

Voldemort AK's two of our heroes before his defeat

Remy shouts at Samantha

Severus shouts at Sirius

Harry brings his girlfriend to see his father

A large duck with a red nightcap catnaps Mrs. Norris

Our heroes watch Bambi

Sirius pulls a prank


	20. Shocks

Disclaimer: I own very little.

A/N: I know I hinted that Harry'd visit Hogwarts in this chap, but it just wouldn't fit anywhere. It'll happen in the next chap, though. I promise.

* * *

Nineteenth Chapter 

Shocks

* * *

"Samantha left you?" asked Sirius disbelievingly. His eyes were wide with surprise, and a suppressed grin was tugging at the corner of his mouth. "And here I was thinking that she is a perfectly sensible young girl." 

"The fact that he's your son does not make him irresistible, you daft," huffed Severus, rolling his eyes towards the ceiling. "Rather to the opposite." Even though he had truly healed better than his son, he was still in the Infirmary bed next to Remy's, Sirius sitting on a chair between their beds. Although he usually quickly left the Infirmary on the rare times he even went there, this time Madam Pomfrey had decided to keep both Snapes in her not-so-evil clutches for some extra time.

"Oh, shut up," said Sirius cheerfully. Then he turned towards the teen again. "Okay, what did you do for her to leave you?"

"What, me?" exclaimed Remy. "I did nothing! She was just being an irrational and awfully stubborn bitch with no sense to listen to me!"

"Language, Son. And she wasn't that," Sirius said. "Believe me, when it is a female in question, it is always you who is at fault. No exceptions. So, what did you do?"

Remy sighed. "Well, I told her that if I got injured in the dungeons, it would have been even more dangerous to her. Then she yelled about something about being not old and sensible enough and stormed off without another word."

"So, that's it," said the Grim Animagus calmly. "You dared to question her ability to take care of herself. And that, obviously, made her less than satisfied."

"Fine. So she got angry about that. Now what can I do to get her back to her senses?" asked Remy snappishly, glaring at his carrier.

"Go and apologize to her," suggested Severus calmly. At his son's shocked expression, he sighed. "That's the only way. If she's decided that it's your fault, you will have to apologize, or you can forget her entirely."

"Sadly, I have to agree," Sirius said with a mock-sigh. "As lacking as your dear father's knowledge on girls is, it is well known that if it's the boy who's done something wrong, then he has to take the first step towards a truce of any kind."

Remy sighed. "Bloody girls," he muttered gloomily.

"Only once a month, Son," Severus said calmly, raising an eyebrow. "Only once a month. And even then only if somebody hasn't done something naughty." Giving his son a sharp glance, he then added, "You haven't done anything, have you?"

"Father!" exclaimed Remy, scandalized. "She's only thirteen, for Merlin's sake! What exactly do you take me for, a paedophile perhaps?"

"Well, age certainly didn't slow your dear carrier down when we were young," the Potions Master replied, giving his husband a sharp glance. "We were not over fourteen -- in fact, I think I was still a few weeks short of turning even that -- when he dragged me into a broom closet for the first time. Sure, it is nice to hear that you have at least _some_ morals, but as you can see, I can't be too trustful."

"Oh, shut up," chuckled Severus. "You enjoyed it at least as much as I did, if not more." Then he said with a thoughtful voice, "You know, I think that's just the point. As far as your father was considered, Severus, you had no sex life at all until we got married, if even then. However, _I_ know for a fact that you were thirteen when you lost your virginity. So, feel free to accuse our son of shagging everything that has legs and is not a table, but if you do that, we're not very likely to ever get any grandkids."

"Shut up, _you_," huffed Remy, his usually pale cheeks now coloured with an embarrassed flush. "I certainly do _not_ need to know the details of the development of your relationship, and even less I need you to comment on _my_ romantical relationships, or the lack thereof."

"Especially the lack thereof, you mean." Sirius grinned. "Don't worry, Son," he laughed then. "The world is full of girls, and you can just go and make your pick."

"But I don't _want_ any of those girls," whined Remy, flipping his long ponytail over his shoulder. "I don't want Chang or Lovegood or anybody else. I only want Samantha."

"Then why don't you simply go and apologize to her?" asked Severus levelly.

"Two reasons, Father," Remy said coolly. "One: I will not go apologizing to her when I've done nothing I should apologize for. I'd lose the rest of my already wounded pride if I did that. Two: If I try to leave Infirmary again, Madam Pomfrey would kill me. She'd rather see me dying at her own hands than because of my wounds."

"It's bloody good she would," grumbled Sirius. "And if she didn't, I would. Infirmary exists for a reason, Remy, did you know that? Battle scars aren't as cool as they sound like, believe me. They make you only ugly, not cool."

"Well, thank you, my dear husband," said Severus dryly. "And here I was thinking that there was a reason beyond our son for us to be together."

"Severus, you know I didn't mean you," sighed Sirius, rolling his eyes towards the ceiling. "You could be one big scar and you'd still be just as beautiful in my eyes. I love you both regardless and because of your scars. What I meant is that if Remy's trying to catch some girl's interest, he'd have more luck without scars."

"Well, I don't want to catch some random girl's interest," said Remy. "Only Samantha's, and she wouldn't care."

"No, she wouldn't," agreed Sirius. "But at the moment she certainly does not even care about whether you're alive or not, so that's not a reason to worry."

"How'd you know anything?" asked the boy bitterly. "None of you has ever had to deal with a girlfriend or a boyfriend just leaving you. You two have been always about forever, and Remus has stayed with each of his lovers until their death."

"You're wrong," Severus said dryly. "I don't think I can even count all the girlfriends this mutt had during our school years. And he was left more often than _he_ left."

"Oh, it was nothing serious," laughed Sirius as he saw the expression on his son's face. "Back then we hardly could come out in the open, and I had an image to uphold."

"And Father let you do that with your balls still intact?" blurted Remy before he could stop himself. Immediately, he covered his mouth with his hand, but it was too late.

"Language, Son," said Sirius good-naturedly. "I never went past kissing with those girls, anyway -- I'm gay, remember? And you are right. If I _had_ done anything else, death would've been a merciful fate compared with what Severus would've done."

"I don't doubt that," muttered Remy, then sighed. "Could you please get Remus here? If I'm stuck here, I'd like to have somebody to talk with other than two perverted old gays who also happen to be my parents."

"Show some respect, Son," chuckled Sirius. "Very well, I'll get you somebody who can relate with your perverted interest in the females of the species."

"It is _not_ perverted to like girls," protested Remy. "In fact, at least in the Muggle world, it's usually much more widely approved than _your_ liking on _men_."

"Oh, shut up, my little homophobe." And with that, Sirius left the Hospital Wing.

* * *

Sirius whistled happily as he walked along the corridor. It was always so much fun to tease Remy and Severus, and it was rather easy, too. A single mention of about anything involving sex worked well to make both his son and husband uneasy in the most amusing ways. And that was exactly why he did so. He was certain the other members of their tiny family were having a hard time looking each other in the eye. 

Then he turned gloomy as he thought about the reason why Remy and Severus were currently forced to stay in each other's presence. Though neither of them was currently in danger, Poppy still insisted on keeping them both in the Infirmary for observation. They still hadn't figured out what had caused them both to pass out after the monster's attack, as neither had lost that much blood, and Poppy was a tad worried. Sirius was worried, too, although he never let it show.

He'd had many bad experiences in his life, true. In Azkaban, he'd at times thought he'd go crazy. However, the moment he had stepped into that small room in the Ravenclaw Dungeons had been far worse than anything he'd ever experienced before. The moment his eyes had caught Severus's huddled form on the floor had almost killed him on the spot, as he'd been sure he had lost his husband to the awful monster. And the next thing he'd seen had been even worse, as by then his brains had registered the sight of his son lying on the floor beneath the monster, struggling for his life and slowly losing the battle. Sirius had only had the boy with him for so short time, and even less as his son. Nothing could have ever been more terrifying than the thought that he might lose his precious son and beloved husband, the two by far most important people in his life.

Even though that had indeed been a terrifying experience, it wasn't even what pained Sirius most. No, he was even more scared of the fact that he'd been unable to help, to stop that horrible destruction. His curse had done nothing to the man-monster, and only Remus had been able to save Remy from its jaws. And that, seeing that his efforts had done nothing to help his son, had made Sirius think.

All in all, what good was he to anyone? He wasn't powerful like Remus, skilled like Severus, or brilliant like Remy and Hermione. He was just a perfectly average wizard, his more-muscular-than-average body as his only advantage. Moreover, instead of the intelligence and cunning all his loved ones seemed to be blessed with, he only had the ability to fool around and run into things without thinking. True, Remy seemed to have unfortunately inherited that trait, but he had a mind that well out-powered that, and he rarely showed his foolishness. But Sirius -- what good was he to anyone? Why was Severus still with him, anyway? Because he was a good lay? Big comfort, really.

Sighing, the Grim Animagus shook his head. No, he would not go down that path. He'd often enough seen people travelling down it and only barely being saved from the ill fate that lurked in the end of it. Remus, for example.

Suddenly a horrible thought entered his mind. Remus had understandably been very upset about the monster being in essence Matthew. And he'd blamed himself for it, now had he not? And when Remus did that, it never had pretty results...

Picking up his pace, Sirius hurried on his journey to Remus's quarters. For the first time in his life he hoped that he was wrong, no, he didn't only hope that, he prayed for it. Begged for it, even. He had to be wrong, he had to. He could not be right.

However, as soon as he opened the room to his friend's quarters, the sickly sweet smell of blood immediately assaulted his oversensitive Animagus nostrils. Inwardly cursing himself for being as stupid as to allow Remus to be alone after an experience like that, Sirius bolted into the quarters. Allowing his heightened senses to guide himself, he hurried further into the werewolf's quarters.

Just like he'd feared, he found Remus lying on the floor, blood pooling around him. On the nearby desk he saw three parchment letters, all rolled up and sealed. One of them was addressed to, "_Family Snape_," the other to, "_Kingsley_," and the third to, "_Harry_." A bloodied knife had rolled from the limp hand to the floor. Sirius's mind registered all this in a whisker of a second, and at the next moment, he was busy chanting healing charms and searching for a pulse. To his great relief, he indeed found one, but it was weak and not too steady. Not hesitating a moment, he tore a few shreds of his shirt to bandage the still bleeding wrists -- he'd never been that good at healing -- and then, after having done everything he could, walked to the fireplace. Moments later, he had Poppy Pomfrey on his side, and the mediwitch immediately started to fuss all around Remus's unmoving form.

Sirius, however, felt oddly empty. This would be the third member of his extended family who was landed to the Infirmary for a reason that was directly or indirectly linked to the Horrid Student-Eating Monster of the Ravenclaw Tower. What would come next? Would Hermione dare into the Ravenclaw Dungeons and fall down, cracking her skull? Or maybe it wouldn't be anything involving the monster. Maybe Samantha would start her weakening -- he already knew of her Lacentria, yes -- and be forced into a bed next to Remy's, as long as she still lived, anyway?

Those were horrible thoughts. But, then again, his situation was just as horrible. He could only hope nothing worse would happen.

Like, for example, Sirius himself might get injured.

* * *

A/N: You should know the drift by now. 

THREE of the following will NOT happen:

One of the youngs completes their Animagus transformation

Samantha faints in class

Hermione reads Witch Weekly

Remy botches a potion

Weasley tries to sabotage Remy's potion

Sirius sings a love song to Severus in the middle of the Great Hall

Voldemort asks Hermione for a date

Hermione is revelaed to be related to Malfoys

Severus botches the Wolfsbane Potion and Remy gets almost killed

Remy needs a partner for a ball

Hermione gives an interview to Rita Skeeter

Of the following, TWO will NOT happen:

Samantha does something _extremely_ stupid

Sirius saves Severus from Avada Kedarva -- by sacrificing himself

Remy ensures that Samantha will not die of her illness

Hermione gets herself a boyfriend (not Ben, though)

Cho Chang is a bitch

Voldie-poo makes a serious mistake (Ha!)

Remy is romantic

Severus wears pink swimming trunks

Kingsley purposefully touches Remus with silver (yes, the werewolf one)

_Harry visits Hogwarts_

Voldemort AK's two of our heroes before his defeat

Remy shouts at Samantha

Severus shouts at Sirius

Harry brings his girlfriend to see his father

_A large duck with a red nightcap catnaps Mrs. Norris_

Our heroes watch Bambi

Sirius pulls a prank


	21. Talkings

Disclaimer: I own very little.

A/N: This chapter just got longer and longer, and ended up longer than any of the previous chapters. Well, I don't think anybody will complain about its lenght.

...It's a bit weird, though.

* * *

Twentieth Chapter 

Talking

* * *

"What the Hell is holding him back" asked Severus from no one in particular. "And where did Poppy disappear? I thought she would never let us out of her sight." 

"Well, I certainly do not know" Remy replied. "I hope she would come and release me, though. I've spent enough time rotting away here."

"Don't say that too loudly" advised Severus with a smirk. "Poppy has a sixth sense that tells her whenever somebody speaks ill of her precious little Infirmary."

"You're always talking about the Infirmary as 'the wretched hole,'" Remy pointed out mischievously. "So, you're really one to speak, Father."

"That's because she knows that she can't do anything about my attitude." With a smirk, he then added"And besides, if I were you, I wouldn't be in such a hurry to get out of here. Young Miss Green is somewhere out there, remember"

At this, Remy groaned and hid his face in his hands. "Was that really necessary" he whined. "Just when I was about to forget it, you just _had_ to bring it up"

"Remy, in all honesty, I really doubt you had forgotten about her" Severus replied dryly. "If you had, then you've managed to hurt your head as well. If you cared about her enough to go for public display of affection, you won't be able to forget her for a long, long time to come. Or if you indeed are able to do that, then you aren't my son at all - or Sirius's, for that matter."

"So now you're telling that I have no father" Remy raised his eyebrow. "For some reason, I dare to disagree with that particular statement. Or was it not you who told me that everybody has at least one father, some even two"

"I did tell you that" admitted Severus"and I still stand behind my words. I didn't say that you have no father, I just said that neither I nor my husband are that to you. And it doesn't matter anyway, now does it? Since my statement would only apply if you forgot Samantha, and you clearly can't do that."

Remy glared at him, but as Severus was also a Snape by blood, the glare had little effect. So, the teen jus sighed and glanced down at this hands. "I still don't think I'm the one who should apologize" he muttered sulkingly. "_She_ broke up with _me_. I'm certainly not going to beg her to change her mind! _She_ has to apologize to _me_"

"Well, unless I'm severely mistaken, she doesn't want to apologize" Severus said smoothly. "So, either you go to apologize to her, or you forget her. Simple as that."

Just as Remy opened his mouth to reply, the door banged open. The words"Well, at last" died on both reluctant patients' lips as they saw who was coming in, and in which condition. Sirius marched in, his face so pale that it was almost grey. His eyes looked almost empty, and his expression was blank. However, what terrified his son and husband most was the thing he was carrying in his arms.

"Is that - is that Remus" asked Severus, sounding horrified. He stared at the pale form in Sirius's arms, the closed eyes, bloodied robes - and bandaged wrists. "He didn't try to kill himself again... did he" the Potions Master asked then quietly.

"I'm afraid so" Sirius sighed as he placed his unconscious friend on the empty hospital bed next to Severus's. "I called Poppy immediately... she said that a minute later might have been too late." A humourless smirk curled his lips as he continued"A good thing that I ran the end of the way there, then."

"Merlin" whispered Remy, staring at his older namesake lying motionless on the other side of his father. "He - he really slit his wrists? But - why"

"He blamed himself for Matthew's death, I think" replied Sirius. "He left letters, anyway. One for us, one for Kingsley, and one for Harry. Maybe he tells in those what was his reason for doing this."

As soon as he heard this, Severus reached out his hand. Sirius drew the suicide note addressed to, _"Family Snape_" from his pocket and gave it to his husband. Severus took the still unopened letter, broke the seal, and read aloud.

"'_Dear Sirius, Severus, and Remy,_'" he read, ignoring Poppy, who had come in behind Sirius and was now busy looking over Remus. "'_At first, I beg you not to hate me for this. Especially you, Sirius - I know you think suicide is cowardice._'"

Sirius swallowed and closed his eyes briefly. "Never, my friend" he whispered. "Never in my living days would I call you a coward."

"'_Why I did it, you probably want to know. Simple, my friends. I've come to notice that my affection only causes trouble and pain to everyone it concerns. I apologize to you for all the trouble I've caused to you during all these years, as well as thank you for doing so much more than I could ever deserve._

_"'I hope you won't remember me with hatred, although considering everything I've done, good and bad, being remembered with affection seems highly improbable. Forever and ever, Moony_.'" Severus looked up from the letter, his face even paler than it usually was. "Sweet Salazar" he whispered. "Just how depressed was he"

Sirius looked pained. "I don't know" he said"I honestly don't know. I can't believe we managed to miss it! Why didn't we see the signs"

"It's not your fault" Remy said firmly. "It's nobody's fault - not even Remus's. There's nothing you could have done to prevent this, Dad. And besides, he will survive." Glancing at Madam Pomfrey, he continued"He will survive... won't he"

"Of course he will" the mediwitch replied to the teen's immense relief. "If you think I'm going to let him die, you're severely mistaken, young man."

"Good." Severus nodded. "And now, Sirius... As both Remy and I are confined to bed and prohibited from leaving until further notice, you will have a great responsibility on your shoulders." At his husband's questioning gaze, he finished"Consider it your personal mission to inform Kingsley and Harry about this."

If only possible, Sirius paled even further.

* * *

Remy bit his lip as he hurried through the stairway towards his dormitory. He would not make a sound, nor would he look back. Oh, he especially would not look back. That was the last thing he would do right now. 

At first, it had looked easy enough. He'd been released from the Infirmary two days after Remus's suicide attempts. Madam Pomfrey had her hands full with the werewolf - Remus had fallen into a coma - so when she'd been certain there was no trace of the monster's mysterious poison left in their systems, she had released both Remy and Severus. Careful but encouraged by Hermione's message that the only rumours concerning him were about the monster, not Samantha, Remy had dared to leave to Infirmary to return to the Ravenclaw Tower.

On his way there he hadn't heard anybody saying a word about his and Samantha's breakup. So, he hadn't much worried about meeting his housemates. However, as soon as he'd entered the Common Room, he'd frozen. The first thing he had seen upon entering had been a couple of girls. To be exact, Samantha and Hermione.

For a moment, the time itself had seemed to have stopped. Remy had stared at Samantha, and Samantha had stared back. Neither had done or said anything.

Then, however, Samantha had turned her head away. Seeing that she was clearly unwilling to communicate with him, Remy had hurried past the girls to the stairway, oblivious to Hermione calling his name. And here he was now, running up the stairs. It was funny, really, how only Samantha could make him abandon his Snapish calm enough to run. Only Samantha, in good and bad.

'_Merlin_,' thought Remy as he opened the door to his dormitory, '_it looks like I'm really obsessed with that girl_.' With that, he headed towards his bed. When he opened the curtains around it, however, he noticed something.

There was a golden stuffed bunny sitting on his bed, a bracelet around its round paw. For a moment Remy just stared at it, unable to move. Then, he simply fell to his bed and lay there, unmoving, unseeing. '_I will not cry,_' he kept chanting to himself. '_Snapes do not cry, not for anything. I'm a Snape. I will not cry_.'

Some time later he felt another body settling on his bed. Looking up, he saw Hermione sitting next to him, a worried look on her face. "By Rowena, you look horrible" Hermione gasped. "If I didn't know better, I'd say that you have cried."

"I haven't" Remy muttered. "I haven't cried. But I do admit being damn near to that."

For once, Hermione didn't even remind him of language. Instead, she just sighed. "Can I do something to help you" she asked quietly.

"Call Rita Skeeter." As he saw her frown, knowing that she would not agree, he held up a hand, silencing her. "I do not want her to make a scandal about this" he said quietly. "In fact, tell Skeeter that she's not allowed to even mention Samantha's name, or mine for that matter, anywhere without my permission. We saw what she can do last year, and then, it wasn't even true. I don't want her making Samantha's life a hell just because she doesn't want to be with me."

"Woah" Hermione breathed. "You really do care about Samantha."

Remy smirked grimly. "I just want to have some chances to get her back" he replied. "And I will have no chance at that if I allow Skeeter to rip her apart."

"Say whatever you want" Hermione said softly"but I think that you are in love."

Remy just huffed. However, he did not deny the truth behind her words.

* * *

Harry glanced down at the white sheets of a hospital bed in the Hogwarts Infirmary. There, on the bed, lay his recently discovered father. His teacher of one year, and a trusted person for several. And now his parent, the only living one, anyway. 

Well, living and living. Remus had been tip-toeing on the thin edge between life and death for quite a while now. He wasn't in danger of immediate death, but he wouldn't wake up, either. Nobody could tell what exactly was wrong with him.

Sighing, Harry glanced down at the letter in his hand. He'd opened it as soon as Sirius had given it to him, and what he had read had horrified him. Still, the self-loathing words of his father were floating through his mind.

"_Harry_" the letter had begun. "_At first, I want to apologize. At second, I want to tell you that I'm sorry. At third, I want to tell that I understand if you won't forgive me._

_"I'm not a very good father, now am I? I've never been. When you were born, I had to give you up without even seeing you - I didn't want to, that I can say on my defence, but it still wasn't right. And now, when you had a true family that loved you and cared about you, I tore you away from there with a few misplaced words. For that, and everything else, I apologize to you, my son._

_"This is not your fault, it's nobody's fault but mine. I would never blame anybody else for my own mistakes. All I can say is that it wasn't in my purpose to do this to you. To steal you from your family and make you a half-orphan, a half-orphan with a name everybody connects to somebody who never even existed, not really. And now, if I'm sufficient, you'll be a full orphan, with nothing and nobody to rely on. For that, I am sorry, and I can only wish your true family still loves you._

_"I will not offer you some stupid explanations - you're an intelligent boy, and deserve more than that. I'm going to leave so I can't hurt anybody anymore. I'll never hurt you anymore, Harry._

_"Love,_

_"Your father."_

Glancing again down at the man on the bed, Harry whispered"And yet you did, Father. Nothing could have ever hurt me more than this." While speaking, he allowed his fingertips trace one of the bandaged wrists. He could almost feel the scars underneath the cloth. Kneeling down, he muttered"Wake up now, Father. There's nothing wrong with you, you can wake up. This is not funny anymore."

"He won't wake up." Startled, the spy looked up, only to see his carrier's lover standing there. Kingsley looked very tired, but he still managed a weak smile. "I've tried everything I can think of. Begging, asking, bargaining - he will not wake up."

"It's still worth another try, isn't it" Harry sighed then, wiping a strand of hair from his face. "I just hope that he would - What are you staring at"

"Nothing" replied Kingsley hastily. "When you did that, you just - you looked so much like Remus. When he's thinking about something." Kneeling on the other side of the bed, opposite to Harry, he asked quietly"What did your letter say"

There was no question about what letter he meant. "That he didn't want to hurt me anymore" the young man replied quietly. "That all he's ever done for me is hurting me - at first giving me up, then tearing me from my adopted family."

"In mine, he said that his love is like a poison" Kingsley said with just as quiet tone. "That everybody he's ever loved has died - like James, and Matthew. He said he didn't want me to get killed just because he dared to love me."

"And he was wrong" Harry said. "He's hurting us with this - with thinking that we wouldn't want him to be there to love us." With a sigh, he continued"It's really strange, you know. Sure, he was my friend even before. However, now I feel like I'd known him all my life, and loved him all that time. Like he'd been my father forever and ever. Sure, I still like Molly and Arthur, but not as my parents. Not anymore."

"That's how the Adoption Charm works" the black wizard said. "But Remus has this ability to make everybody love himself. I first met him when we were both working for the Order in the First War. I fell in love immediately, it just took me time to make him love me." With a humourless chuckle, he added"And if he thinks he's going to get rid of me like this, he's severely mistaken. I did not wait fifteen years for this."

"Yes. We can't let him get rid of us this easily." Turning again towards his comatose carrier, Harry continued almost teasingly"Come on, Father. I know you're in there somewhere. Now stop this game of yours and wake up, it's well about the time. We need you - I, Kingsley, and about everybody else in this whole sodding castle. Remy especially needs you - he has girl problems, and nobody else can help."

"He's getting insufferable nowadays" Kingsley said, trying to get the same jokeful tone. "As Samantha left him and the boy's too proud to apologize to her, he's pulling pranks to keep himself from thinking about her. I, Sirius, Severus - we've all tried talking to him, but he just claims that we can't really help because, well, because we all prefer men. You have to wake up before he paints the whole Great Hall pink."

At first, they just both stared at the unmoving man. Then they heard the almost inaudible words"Well, that's a sight I wouldn't want to miss." Exclamations of joy escaped the two wizards' lips. Then they started a struggle about which one got to embrace Remus first. The werewolf blinked, and then slowly smiled. "You just can't do without me, can you"

"No, we can't, and do remember that" Kingsley said firmly. "Now, stop this joking... Everybody's been worried out of their minds, nobody could help." With a grateful glance at Harry, he added"Seemingly only your son knew what it takes to get a Marauder moving. Well, Remy might have known - if he wasn't keeping himself occupied."

"I said you would bring troubles with your Marauder blood one day, didn't I" Remus raised his eyebrows, then yawned. "Merlin... I'm sleepy..."

"Well, then sleep" Harry said. "But remember to wake up this time." Although his tone was still teasing, he had to choke back tears. Remus didn't seem to notice.

* * *

"Come on, dear Mrs. Norris. Come on..." Remy murmured as he stared at the Marauder's Map. He'd once again stolen it from his Dad - how it had gotten into Sirius's hands, he didn't know, and didn't really want to, either. Instead, he just concentrated on pulling his latest prank with style. And this style included a cat. 

At last, he saw that the cat had got near enough. A wicked smile spread on his face as he murmured the words that would release the spells he'd casted earlier. What made it even better was that there were a lot of students to witness that he was in the Ravenclaw Common Room, not where the cat-trap was. And still he would get to enjoy seeing Mrs. Norris's fate. Perfect.

Oh, he would not harm the cat, not at all. Just give her a little... ride.

A horrible cat-shriek came through the door of the Common Room. Everybody rushed towards the door, recognizing Mrs. Norris's hated voice. As they filed out to the corridor and saw what caused the cat's agony, everybody bursted into laughter.

The rather sizeable duck - it was at least as tall as Samantha, although the thought made Remy swallow - glared at the students. It had a red nightcap on its head, and under one wing, it held Mrs. Norris's clawing and raging form. "You" it squeaked with a very ducky voice. "Tell Filch that if he wants his cat back, he'll have to bring three big Easter eggs in the Entrance Hall by midnight"

"Easter eggs" echoed somebody. "Why on Earth would you want those"

"It's none of your business" squeaked the duck. "Just tell Filch that" Then, it flew away - how it managed to stay in the air with just one wing, the other holding the cat, nobody could tell. However, they all laughed, especially when Mrs. Norris shrieked again from somewhere near the ceiling.

"Now, now, children, do calm down" said a vaguely amused voice behind the crowd of students. "Show some compassion to poor Mrs. Norris, and poor Argus, too."

Now, Remy spun around. "Remus" he exclaimed. "You're back"

"So I am, Remy, so I am" replied the werewolf, giving a slight chuckle. He looked still pretty tired, but he was awake, and up and about. "Harry decided to use a Marauder method to wake me up, and, well, it worked."

At the mention of Marauders, Remy smirked. Remus raised his eyebrow. It was clear that he knew who had created the cat-napper duck. Remy was quite proud of it. It had taken a lot of background research and preparations, but was well worth it.

"Professor Lupin" echoed from several mouths. The students had been informed that Remus was in the Infirmary and would not accept visitors, but the reason and background of his injury had been left untold. However, he had definitely not been forgotten, like was proved when several Ravenclaws now surrounded their Head of House, from all years. Everybody was talking at the same time, all happy.

"I'm sorry, but I have to leave for a little while" Remus said at last with a small smile. "Remy, if you would come? I believe we have something to discuss."

"Of course." Remy followed his lycanthropic namesake out of the hearing of the other students. Then he turned towards him. "Well, what is it"

"At first, that prank" Remus said, turning serious. "I do not deny that it isn't funny, or that I haven't ever dreamt of something similar. However, it is quite cruel. You know that Argus will be very upset about his cat's disappearance."

"Mrs. Norris will not be harmed" Remy said, shrugging. "The duck will vanish before nightfall and release her, so Filch won't even have to worry about those Easter eggs. I don't see why anybody would have any trouble with it, especially when Filch has always been tormenting us. It's about the time he gets some back."

"I still do not approve." Frowning, Remus added"I will not take House points away, as I cannot really prove that it was you. However, that prank was cruel, and you know it. A successful prank is one that both the pranker and the victim can at least later laugh at, not something that somebody gets really upset about. You don't want to be a cruel tormentor in Samantha's eyes, now do you"

Now, Remy flinched. "I can't be anything in her eyes, as she won't even look at me" he snapped. "At Hermione, yes, but not at me. I could just as well be air."

"Well, that brings us to our other topic of discussion" Remus said, raising his eyebrows. "Which is, Samantha. Have you thought of doing something about her"

"What could I do" asked the teen, looking even more stubborn than usually. "I will not go to apologize to her when she was the one who left me. I'd lost even the little of my pride that I still have left, and I'm not about to do that."

"Really" asked the werewolf. Seeing Remy's stubborn expression, he sighed. "Very well, be that way" he said. "By the way... Why hasn't Skeeter written anything about your little breakup yet? I'd think it'd make it straight to the headlines"

Now, Remy flushed. Remus merely gave him a growing smirk, then sighed and wrapped his arm around Remy's shoulders. "Trust me in this, boy" he said"girls are tricky creatures. Just when you think you're on steady ground, there's an earthquake, and everything goes into a chaos. Never, ever think that you're all right with your girlfriend, because it's almost certain that you are not."

"Well, I don't have to worry about that, now do I" asked the boy bitterly. "I don't have a girlfriend at the moment, you see."

"I do see" said Remus"I do see that, Remy." However, what Remy didn't see was the tiny Marauderish glint in the werewolf's eyes.

* * *

A/N: THREE of the following will NOT happen: 

_One of the youngs completes their Animagus transformation_

Samantha faints in class

Hermione reads Witch Weekly

Remy botches a potion

Weasley tries to sabotage Remy's potion

Sirius sings a love song to Severus in the middle of the Great Hall

Voldemort asks Hermione for a date

Hermione is revelaed to be related to Malfoys

Severus botches the Wolfsbane Potion and Remy gets almost killed

Remy needs a partner for a ball

Hermione gives an interview to Rita Skeeter

Of the following, TWO will NOT happen:

Samantha does something _extremely_ stupid

Sirius saves Severus from Avada Kedarva - by sacrificing himself

Remy ensures that Samantha will not die of her illness

Hermione gets herself a boyfriend (not Ben, though)

Cho Chang is a bitch

Voldie-poo makes a serious mistake (Ha!)

Remy is romantic

Severus wears pink swimming trunks

Kingsley purposefully touches Remus with silver (yes, the werewolf one)

Voldemort AK's two of our heroes before his defeat

Remy shouts at Samantha

Severus shouts at Sirius

Harry brings his girlfriend to see his father

Our heroes watch Bambi

Sirius pulls a prank


	22. Full Moon Fleeing

Disclaimer: I own very little.

A/N: Another long chapter ahead. Any complaints?

Oh, and this chapter is dedicated to **thelnonlypy** for the extremely long review.

* * *

Twenty-first Chapter 

Full Moon Fleeing

* * *

Remy was deep in thought as he walked through the corridors of Hogwarts. He had been the whole day mostly alone. Of course Hermione was with him on all lessons, but on mealtimes and after the lessons, he was alone. Hermione had started to divide her free time between Remy and Samantha, and today it was Samantha's turn. It wasn't the loneliness that bothered Remy, he could very well do by himself. No, what disturbed him most was the fact that while Hermione was with Samantha, he couldn't be. He could not be with Samantha. 

That hurt, in more than just one way. Remy would have never thought of himself as the type to pine after any girl, yet here he was, whining like a kicked puppy because a thirteen-year-old girl had left him. It was enraging.

Of course he wasn't mad at Samantha well, maybe just a tiny bit, but not _much_, really , instead, he was mad at himself. This was _not_ the way a Snape by blood should behave. This was definitely not the way _he_ should behave.

Remy knew that he would have to apologize if he wanted Samantha back; everybody was always telling him that. That, however, was as good as impossible to him. It wasn't that he couldn't apologize; he just didn't want to risk the possible rejection and public humiliation.

Just as impossible it was for him to try to approach some other girl. If he paid even a second thought at the question of whom he was going to ask out, he would not have any fear of rejection. But, like he'd already told all the adults who had tried to talk to him, he didn't want some random girl. He wanted only Samantha.

Merlin, now he sounded really like a lovesick schoolboy. Well, that might be because he _was_ a lovesick schoolboy, as much as he hated to admit that. What thousand times damned love potion had Samantha made him drink to make him behave in such a silly way? Something there must have been, nothing else could explain it. Maybe he should ask his father about that.

It wasn't like he could have really fallen in love, no. There was absolutely nothing he could have fallen for in the girl. Definitely it could not be her warm brown eyes that occasionally twinkled with warm light, or the slight smile that curled her lips that was so adorable. And least of all it could be the way she often sat doing her homework, her head bent over a text book, one strand from the honey curtain that was framing her face being stuck into her mouth as she chewed it, her brows furrowed in deep concentration.

Remy groaned inwardly. This was getting more than a bit too far. It was not _right_. No Snape should be like this, it was just unnatural.

That was where he caught himself. His "dear" grandfather was exactly the way a Snape "should" be. And Remy did not want to be like that. Like his Dad had once said when he'd been even more annoyed at his husband's attitude than usually, everything human was un-Snapish. Although Remy suspected that he'd been mostly complaining because Severus hadn't been eager enough for sex, that didn't make the complaint any less true. All characteristics people usually connected to the Snape name like nastiness, an unwavering mask of coolness, absolute lack of visible emotions were nasty, or not human. He should not be worried about being un-Snapish.

...Of course, that didn't mean that he should be some weeping wreck. Only that it wasn't necessarily wrong to miss Samantha's presence. Well, not very wrong, anyway. Really, it wasn't. Honestly.

Samantha, on the other hand, astonished him. Usually she was such an opposite of a Snape always smiling, blushing, laughing, or just waving her hands as she talked. Nowadays she was like an epitome of absolute indifference whenever he came near. When he watched her from afar, watched her talking with Hermione or her classmates, she was her usual self. But if he tried to approach... Nothing. Not a sign or recognizing or even noticing him. It was clear that she didn't care about him.

Of course, Hermione was telling him the exact opposite. She told that Samantha was always talking about him, and that she missed him, too. But if it was so, then why wouldn't she show the simplest signs of even recognizing him? Remy simply couldn't understand. Maybe it was some girl thing?

A part of him the part he'd inherited from Sirius wanted to just go and act like nothing had happened. Another part of him the Severus part told him that it was the absolutely last thing he should do. Samantha would probably just say that she didn't want anything to do with him anymore, and that was something he could not take. Not from her, anyway.

Merlin, now he sounded even more like the lovesick puppy he really was. He needed somebody to talk to, and soon. Of course he could have gone to Remus, but then he remembered that it was the day of full moon. As it was so, there would only be a furry wolf in the DADA Professor's quarters. Of course, he would still be ready to listen, and he'd often told Remy that even as a wolf, he preferred company that would not reply. Therefore, even at the risk of being scolded at for being out of his dormitory after curfew, he headed towards the dungeons and his parents there.

For a long time Harry had thought that the Slytherin dungeons, Potions classroom, and his Father's office were the lowest err, _deepest_ part of the school. However, the dungeons continued even below those and that was the place of his parent's quarters. Apparently, there'd been practically nothing before, just a lot of darkness, labyrinth-like corridors, and sudden dead ends. Then, however, Severus had wanted to have his personal quarters there, far away from the noise and life of the school. Nowadays, those quarters, his personal laboratory, and his knowledge of every shadowy corner and hidden passageway made the deepest dungeons his personal territory well, his and Sirius's.

So, Remy now continued his way past the Potions classroom and further into the dungeons. At last he reached a statue in the end of what seemed to be a corridor leading nowhere. The engraving on the foot of statue read, "_Artemis Snape, 1347-1468_." Remy smirked at the thought of the dungeons being his family's territory even such a long time ago. Giving the statue the password "Venderroot" and receiving a sullen nod in return, he watched as the statue moved aside, revealing a shadowy stairway. Then, he stepped into the stairs, the statue closing after him.

It was eerily quiet in the stairway as Remy walked down the stairs, one of his hands on the wall beside him. Unlike his Animagi parents, he only had usual human senses he didn't have his Dad's dog hearing, nor his Father's catlike ability to see in darkness. Therefore, he had to trust the wall to guide him in the darkness.

At last, the stairs ended, and he stepped into a dimly lit corridor. From experience he knew that it would take exactly three corridors to reach his Dad and Father's quarters. Both turns would be to left from a red torch there were mostly oranges and yellows there, but two of them indeed were red.

However, he hadn't got further than just turning into the second corridor as he already ran into something or, rather, something ran into him, making him fall down. Startled, he looked up, seeing a big, black lion staring at him. In an instant, his Father stood in its place, looking almost fearful something unthinkable.

"Get out of here," his Father said, sounding horrified. "Get out of here, and tell Artemis not to let anybody in here. It is not safe! Leave now, or you'll die!"

"What?" asked Remy, confused, as he stood up. "What do you mean?"

Before Severus could speak, however, the teen's question was answered. They both heard a loud bark, then a horrifying growl. And then, they saw Padfoot coming from the next turn, in vain trying to slow down the big, golden wolf that was advancing towards him. Then, the wolf set its eyes on Severus and Remy, and it howled out in triumph and blood thirst. Padfoot glanced at them, and yelped in fear.

In an instant, Severus transformed back into a lion, although not without yelling for the last time, "Get out of here, _now_!" Then, he went to join his husband in their fight to slow the wolf down. Remy recognized the wolf as the transformed form of his namesake and from the glint in the animal's eyes he knew that it was not Remus in charge in the beast's mind. No, the wolf was controlling him now.

In general, humans, like all animals, have three ways of acting when they're under a threat: Flee, freeze, or fight. Usually, there's one characteristic that's most natural to every person or animal, although some may behave in two different ways. Only very heavy reasons can make them differ from their natural reaction.

Sirius was naturally a fighter, there was no problem with that. Severus, however, was a freezer; it must have taken a lot from him to run to warn the statue guarding the deeper dungeons, and even more to now turn around and fight the wolf. It was the reason because of which he hadn't been able to escape Moony all those years ago in the Shrieking Shack, and why James'd had to save his twin. Why he'd been there at the first place was beyond Remy he'd never heard the story behind that. Anyway, while Harry had been a fighter, Remy was a freezer like his Father. True, he had been able to go against the Monster, but that'd only been because he'd had heavy reasons at the first time, his need to get Samantha safe, and at the second one, the rage for seeing his Father being flung against the wall. Now, however, it was just him in danger and all he could do was to just stand there.

Padfoot gave a loud bark, clearly telling him to leave, but Remy couldn't. He simply couldn't tear his feet from the floor. His brain was yelling at him, telling him to _run_ and get away, but the message didn't seem to reach his feet. So, all he could do was to watch in fear as his parents fought with the wolf to give him time to escape. Sooner or later, one of them would get bitten and the curse could infect them just as well in animal form as in the human one. It was actually a miracle that hadn't happened already, with all the snapping and clawing they were doing.

Remy wanted to escape, he _had_ to do that, to save both him and his parents from danger without him, they wouldn't have had to fight with Moony. However, he could not do that. And, as he saw Padfoot being flung against the wall with a pained yelp and then lion Severus being won as well, he still couldn't just turn away and run.

The wolf was advancing slowly now, enjoying making him fear. Remy tried to force himself to move, but couldn't. Then his desperately seeking mind found something he might be able to use to save himself. Maybe, just maybe...

He concentrated. All he'd ever managed to do was just some fur, not even as much as Samantha had accomplished no, not thinking about Samantha. Not now.

Actually, yes, he should be thinking about Samantha. Samantha was in danger, she and Hermione. Remy had to save them, and he could only do that by

At first, it was just a tiny spot of fur on the back of his hand. Then, it started to spread, at first over his hand, then his arm, then his chest, and further. His clothes seemed to somehow join the fur as a part of his body. The wolf slowed down a bit, looking confused for a moment. Then, however, it continued advancing on him, and Remy forced himself to concentrate even more. He tried to recall everything he'd felt that one time, tried to remember exactly what it had felt like, what had happened.

After a second, he started to shrink. His arms, however, lengthened a bit at the same time, soon matching his legs in length a good thing, as at about the size of an average dog, he was dropped to four feet. His jaw was stretched and formed again, as was his nose, and his ears changed their place. Then, a tail popped out of his butt.

And then, the skunk's instincts flowed into his mind. And instead of being scared, he simply turned around, looked back over his shoulder, and raised his fluffy tail in warning. The wolf took one look at him, then yelped and retreated. Seemingly it had just as much bravery to approach a skunk as wild wolves.

By now, Severus had got back to his four feet, concernedly licking the unconscious dog that was his husband. Moony, not bloodthirsty anymore as there were no humans nearby and the pain of the transformation had mostly faded, looked almost miserable as it approached them. It maybe wasn't Remus in control, but Moony considered Severus and Padfoot his pack members all the same. And hurting one's pack member was _bad_. Bad, bad Moony.

Remy, not fearful anymore as he allowed that part of the skunk's mind overrule his own, calmly leapt past the wolf and to his parents. He got a long look from Severus, then a gentle swipe of tongue over his furry cheek. Seemingly his Father was not angry at him, just relieved about the fact that he hadn't got injured.

Moony sniffed at Padfoot, then whined. It gave Severus an apologetical look or, if one was to claim that wolves were incapable of such a thing, then something damn near to that. With another whine, it licked the lion's cheek to gain forgiveness.

Then Remy, to his great surprise, heard something weird in his mind. _Padfoot pack member_, said a mental voice that sounded very much like his Father. _Little one Padfoot Severus cub. Little one pack member too. Moony do bad_.

The wolf whined again, then turned to look at Remy, who was startled. _Moony bad_, said a voice that resembled very much that of Remus's. _Little one no mad Moony_? It was very hard to believe that such a voice could come from the beast.

_Father?_ Remy tried to say, startled to find his words coming out in another odd mental voice. _Father, what exactly is this talking? _

_It's Animagi talk_, came Severus's calming voice. _Animals can hear it too, although you have to talk very simply to them, and their talk is very simple, too. You can only get the full message through if you're the same or almost same species as the animal, as only a very small part of communication can be done through this. For example, your Dad can very well communicate with Moony, but we others had to resort to baby talk back then. Of course, when Remus is in control, we can all talk just normally._ Sensing his son's distress, he then said with an even more soothing voice, _Your Dad will be fine. Neither of us were bitten. However, explanations will have to wait until the morning._

* * *

"So," said Remy, sipping at his cup of tea. He took a quick glance at Remus, who was now sound asleep on the couch, several blankets covering the shivering body. Then he turned back towards his parents, who were both sitting opposite to him on the other side of the table. "What happened? And why did Remus lose control?" 

"It was all my fault," Severus said quietly. "To make sure that Remus wouldn't do anything _stupid_ again, I added some ingredients to his Wolfsbane Potion that should have taken away the depressing effect the full moon always has on him. I'm sure that worked; he won't be as depressed as usually. However, what I didn't think was that when I made him be more in control in one thing, it would make his control lessen in something other. Therefore, the wolf managed to win him."

"It was not your fault, Severus," Sirius said firmly. His other arm was bandaged, and he had several deep scratches all over his bare chest, as well as a deep gash down his face. Severus didn't look much better. "You couldn't have known," the Grim Animagus continued then. "Let's just be grateful that nobody was really hurt."

"Exactly." Severus sighed. "It was only by Merlin's grace that he agreed to spend this full moon down here instead of his own quarters. Merlin knows what would have happened otherwise." With a sip at his own tea, he added, "I'm truly glad he couldn't hurt you, Remy. I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if he had."

"Hey, no problem, Father," Remy said, forcing himself to smile. Inside, he was still shivering in fear at the fright he'd got the night before. "I came out of it untouched. In fact, I only benefitted from it after all, I completed my Animagus transformation!"

"And that's a good thing?" asked Severus dryly, raising an eyebrow.

Sirius laughed at his husband's comment. "Of course it's a good thing," he then said. "Congratulations on that, Son. It wasn't a moment too late."

"You could say that," Remy said with a dry smirk. Then he sighed. "You know," he said, "I always thought that when I finally accomplished the transformation, there would be more people I could share it with."

"Ah, there it comes again," Sirius chuckled, then winced as a wound on his side stung. "I really ought to show these to Poppy... But anyway, what's it with the endless talk about girls? I thought you would have got enough of that already!"

"I didn't say anything about girls," Remy said, throwing him a dirty glare. Then he sighed. "True, I would want Samantha to be with me," he admitted. "However, _she_ seemingly doesn't want to be with _me_."

"And that," Severus said calmly, "is a thing we cannot change, unfortunately." With a smirk, he added, "Of course, there are some love potions, but..."

Remy groaned. "_Faa_-ther..."

* * *

"Oh, my God," gasped Remus as soon as he got his eyes open. "Those aren't my doing, are they?" He stared at his friends' wounds with wide eyes. 

"Of course not," Severus said firmly. "They are the wolf's." Naturally, he made no mention about the particularly deep gash on his thigh. He'd healed it to his best ability while Sirius had been seeing Remy off, and was determined to keep everybody from knowing about it. If anybody found out, they'd force him to see Poppy, and he'd die rather than let that happen. Just as well, neither he nor Sirius now would say a word about Remy having been at danger during the wolf's attack.

"So it was my fault, then," Remus said, his expression darkening. "I'm sorry, I really am. I have no idea why I lost control suddenly the wolf just was in charge of me again, like before the Wolfsbane Potion. It was it was horrible."

"It was my fault," Severus said determinedly. "I made a mistake with the potion. You must not blame yourself for it, since it most certainly wasn't your fault."

"I smell Remy," Remus said then, sniffing the air. "What's he been doing here?"

Severus's expression betrayed absolutely nothing as he leant forward to give Remus a goblet of potion. "Drink this. Oh, and Remy came to tell us the wonderful news," he said. "It appears he's finally completed his Animagus transformation. And, of course, he wanted to complain about his little girl problem."

"Merlin," muttered the werewolf, downing the potion and grimacing. "Ever so foul, your potions," he muttered. "Anyway, I don't understand what's the matter with those two. Samantha's glancing at him whenever he turns his back, and he's staring at her even more openly. All it would take from them to get back together is Remy just asking. But no, a Snape's too proud to apologize. He can't do it."

For some odd reason, Severus even ignored this comment. Sirius, however, spoke up. "Well, if he's not going to apologize on his own," he said, "then we have to give him a little push, right?" A Marauder glint was well visible in his eyes.

And, as pained as they were from their injuries from the night before, the two other men had to grin and nod.

* * *

A/N: THREE of the following will NOT happen: 

Samantha faints in class

Hermione reads Witch Weekly

Remy botches a potion

Weasley tries to sabotage Remy's potion

Sirius sings a love song to Severus in the middle of the Great Hall

Voldemort asks Hermione for a date

Hermione is revelaed to be related to Malfoys

Remy needs a partner for a ball

Hermione gives an interview to Rita Skeeter

Of the following, TWO will NOT happen:

Samantha does something _extremely_ stupid

Sirius saves Severus from Avada Kedarva - by sacrificing himself

Remy ensures that Samantha will not die of her illness

Hermione gets herself a boyfriend (not Ben, though)

Cho Chang is a bitch

Voldie-poo makes a serious mistake (Ha!)

_Remy is romantic_

Severus wears pink swimming trunks

Kingsley purposefully touches Remus with silver (yes, the werewolf one)

Voldemort AK's two of our heroes before his defeat

Remy shouts at Samantha

Severus shouts at Sirius

Harry brings his girlfriend to see his father

Our heroes watch Bambi

Sirius pulls a prank


	23. MakeUps and MakeOuts

Disclaimer: I own very little.

A/N: This chapter just... formed itself, I guess.

* * *

Twenty-second Chapter 

Make-Ups and Make-Outs

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" asked Dumbledore, watching them over his half-moon shaped spectacles. "As this is your idea, I will require you both to attend, you know." Despite his stern words, however, there was a slight smile playing on his lips. 

"Of course we are sure," snapped Severus. "Our son's been walking around like a kicked puppy ever since his girlfriend broke up with him. I don't care whether he gets her back or finds another girl, as long as he gets over it. And I know for certain that he will not do anything unless given the proper push to a direction or another."

"It is really annoying," Sirius admitted as well. "And if Severus is willing to put his precious reputation in line by attending an event such as this just to get Remy set right, you can only imagine how bad he is. Take my advice, Albus, and just do it."

"Very well," the Headmaster said, now chuckling slightly. "I will inform the whole school tomorrow. Of course, I will not reveal where the suggestion came from." At this, he glanced at Severus, his eyes twinkling madly.

"I should hope not," murmured Severus. "Otherwise, I would be forced to kill you, and as I really do not cherish the thought of being in Azkaban, no matter how appealing the act of murdering you in itself is, just keep quiet."

Now, Albus blinked. Then, he chuckled. "Well, even if your son has changed, you certainly haven't, I see," he said, his blue eyes twinkling.

Severus merely huffed. "Well, will you do it or not?" he asked irritably.

"Of course I will, my boy. Just wait and see."

* * *

On breakfast the following morning, Dumbledore stood up to make an announcement. Once everybody had their eyes locked at him, he started, "As you all know, St. Valentine's Day is getting nearer. This year, we have decided to have a Valentine's Day Ball." This brought on excited squeals from the girls and whines from the boys. Raising a hand to get silence, the Headmaster then went on, "None of the students are required to have a partner for the Ball. However, all Prefects are expected to set an example for the others. Therefore, they are all required to participate in the Ball, and if some of them don't have partners, I'm sure we'll find teachers who'd be willing to dance with them for a while." 

At this, the previous boredom on Remy's face turned into one of utter horror. In an instant, every girl nearby got a predatory look and started to talk to him. Only Hermione just rolled her eyes as Remy put all his Snape nastiness in use to turn down as many girls at a time as possible. Samantha, however, merely ignored the whole ordeal, not showing a sign of even having heard about the Ball.

Of course, this did not do any good for Remy's mood. Getting finally enough of the girls asking him to accompany him for the Ball (Cho Chang was one of the most eager ones) he simply stood up and left the table, grumbling quietly to himself. Hermione considered for a while going after him, but then thought better of it. Noticing how tensed Samantha on her side was, she turned to smile at her friend.

"Don't worry," she said reassuringly. "I'm sure Remy will come back to his senses soon." But, as Samantha just nodded miserably, she couldn't help but doubt.

The following morning, however, Remy was certainly not showing any signs of "coming back to his senses." Hermione simply couldn't believe his behaviour. Just the night before he'd been most enthusiastically telling her how he would go with Samantha, or with nobody. And yet there he was, talking cheerfully with all the hopeful girls, flirting with everybody who even looked at his direction. It was really annoying and really upsetting to Samantha, too.

Just then, however, she noticed something odd. There was a dove flying towards the Ravenclaw table and it was pink. Not a screaming bubblegum pink, though, but a light, romantic pink. Even more surprising than this odd bird, however, was the load this dove was carrying. To be exact, a heart-shaped chocolate box, and a pink envelope sealed with a small, red rose.

As she watched the dove flying nearer, other people, too, noticed it. Soon most people in the Hall well, most girls, at least were watching attentively to see where it went. They were all shocked to see it slowing down over the place where Hermione was sitting with her friends, then diving down, and landing right in front of Samantha. The small girl, too, watched the bird in shock.

"Take a look at it," Hermione urged, curious. While doing this, she glanced at Remy to see the boy's reaction. The young wizard, however, showed no signs of even noticing that anything had happened. Hermione couldn't tell whether he'd been the sender or not. Like a perfect Snape by blood, he showed neither anticipation nor jealousy, which was rare usually anything connected to Samantha shattered his mask of calmness. Or maybe he was finally starting to get over her?

Then, however, she looked at Samantha again. Her friend had taken the pink envelope from the dove, and was now looking at it suspiciously. She obviously thought that this was a prank. At last, however, urged on by the surrounding girls' half curious, half envious words, she opened the envelope.

And then, they all found out just what was the magic of the letter. "Samantha," they all heard Remy's voice from the envelope, magically strengthened to carry over the whole Great Hall, "I admit that I've been an utter prat. Could you still perhaps find it in yourself to forgive me and be my partner for the Valentine's Day Ball?"

Now, the envelope fell silent, and everybody stared at it in shock. Then, slowly, everybody turned to look at Remy. Sure, he wasn't half as cold and aloof as his father was in public, but he could never, under any circumstances, be called romantic. This was surely some kind of a prank but from whom, everybody wondered. Had it been the boy himself, or somebody else?

Remy, however, did not look at any of these wonderers. Instead, he was now looking right at Samantha, having wholly forgotten about his breakfast. "Well, could you?" he asked, seemingly still just as calm. However, Hermione, who was used to read him, noticed a bit of nervousness in his voice, and she knew that Samantha had noticed it as well. They just knew him too well.

For a moment, Samantha just watched him. Hermione could not know exactly what was going around in her friend's head, but she could already guess her answer. A Snape would not apologize, but Remy had just gone drastically against his usual character just to ask Samantha for the Ball. Not only that, but he had even admitted that he had been wrong, something Hermione could have never thought he would do. And more: he'd also given Samantha the perfect weapon to use against him if she so wanted. A negative answer, and Remy would be publicly humiliated, the only thing a Snape could consider worse than death, like Samantha knew just as well as Hermione. Really, if she still cared for him any like Hermione knew she did there was only one possible answer she could give.

So, Hermione wasn't any surprised as Samantha soon melted into a warm smile. "Yes, I do think so," she said, looking him right in the eye.

"Good." After saying this, Remy stood up and slowly walked towards Samantha. By now, everybody in the Hall was looking at them. Therefore, they all saw perfectly well as Remy leant forward and kissed Samantha right on the mouth.

At this, Dumbledore started to clap his hands, a beaming smile on his face. Soon the whole Hall followed suit. And in the Head Table, Severus gave his husband a small smirk. Then he whispered so quietly that nobody but Sirius and Remus could hear, "Ten points to Ravenclaw for a good question... and another ten points for the correct answer." The other two Marauders on his sides just nodded in agreement.

* * *

Hermione glanced at her friends and smiled. If she hadn't known better, she could've thought they had never been apart. Remy was sitting on a couch in the living room of the Snapes' quarters, looking almost too happy with himself, and Samantha was sitting next to him. The small girl was playing with a lock of her boyfriend's raven hair, and Remy had an arm around her shoulders. Hermione was delighted to see the old sparkle again in her friend's ice-blue eyes and a slight smile on his lips. His free hand was fiddling with the bracelet on Samantha's wrist as the girl's other hand was resting in her lap. 

Suddenly Remy seemed to remember something important. "Oh!" he said. "I fear I have managed to miss your birthday during this ordeal, Samantha."

The girl gave him a small, sad smile. "It doesn't matter, really," she said quietly. "It's quite enough that I have you with me now." She pecked him on the cheek.

"Well, it's not enough for me," Remy said at that. "I can't really turn time backwards, but I still can give you your birthday present." At this, he raised his wand and pointed it at some undefined depths of his parents' quarters. "_Accio present_!" In an instant, a small parcel flew to his hands, and he handed it to Samantha. "Happy belated birthday, my dear," he said, smirking a bit.

Samantha rolled her eyes and then took the present from him, carefully opening it. Her eyes widened as she saw what was inside the parcel. It was a small glass bottle and something was moving inside it. There were a couple of tiny holes on the bottle, allowing air in. Like Hermione didn't notice until now, there were also holes on the wrappings of the present.

"Her name is Sarlass," Remy said helpfully. "Don't worry, she knows not to do anything to you. Only if somebody or something is threatening you, she will attack. There'll be no more monsters eating you up."

"She's beautiful," whispered Samantha as she opened the bottle and saw the snake. The little creature was deep blue in colour, and she wrapped herself around the small girl's wrist as soon as she got out of the bottle. Giving Samantha an affectionate hiss, the snake then rubbed its cheek against her arm. "What does she eat?" asked Samantha then with a curious tone.

"Don't worry about that," Remy said dismissively. "I'll take care of her feeding."

"Thank you," Samantha said, her eyes shining. "Thank you for everything, and especially for Sarlass. She is really an amazing gift." And then, she flung herself at Remy's neck, planting a kiss on his lips.

Hermione shook her head and took her eyes off what seemed to be becoming a rather good make-out session. It wasn't that she wasn't happy for her friends, no; she was excited about the fact that they were back together again. However, seeing them together reminded her of the fact that she was all alone.

So, she stood up and walked to another armchair, this time to one by the fireplace, leaving the young couple behind her back. Sighing a bit, she sank into the armchair, watching the crackling fire with little interest. Oh, how she hoped that _she_ had had somebody to go to the Ball with. Maybe just the particular someone...

Suddenly, however, she was startled from her thoughts as a face appeared to the flames. "Harry!" she exclaimed. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing is wrong," the young wizard said, flashing her a grin. Hermione couldn't help but wonder how much he actually looked like Remus. Sure, his eyes were hazel instead of amber, and his features were a bit softer, but still, at times he managed to be a spitting image of his carrier. "Actually, it's you I was looking for."

"What?" Now, Hermione was really surprised. What did the boy mean?

"You see," Harry said, "I heard of the oncoming Ball, and thought that it would be a perfect opportunity to drop by and check up on Father. You know, to make sure he's not doing anything stupid," he then added gravely, but cheered up immediately. "Anyway, Dumbledore's made this stupid rule that any outsider wanting to attend the Ball has to have an inhabitant of the school as a partner for it. So, as I'm already graduated, I just thought I could ask you to go with me."

Now, Hermione was stunned. At the same time, she wondered whether there truly were fairies that fulfilled people's wishes. This, at least, did look like such an event.

"I will make it worth your while, honestly," Harry said hastily, misreading her stunned expression as hesitation. "Not just the show-up-and-leave trick. I'll bring flowers, carry your things, anything. I promise you'll enjoy it just as much, if not more, as if you went with one of your schoolmates." He gave her puppy eyes. "Please?" he whined.

"Of course," Hermione finally managed to say. "Yes, I would be glad to go to the Ball as your date." '_Even if it's only for the sake of appearance_,' she thought a bit sadly.

"Excellent!" Harry beamed at her from the flames. Then, a moan from behind Hermione reached his ears, and he grinned. "Go break those two up now," he said, "before they get any further. In the meantime, I'll go check my dress robes." And with these words and nothing more, he disappeared from sight.

Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes. However, her expression wasn't half as lonely as before as she went to remind Remy and Samantha of the fact that they were not in private, instead being in the living room of Remy's parents, who might walk in on any moment. Of course, Remy's expression as Severus and Sirius then indeed walked in to see their son with a girlfriend draped over him was priceless.

* * *

A/N: THREE of the following will NOT happen: (See? It's getting a lot easier!) 

Samantha faints in class

_Hermione reads Witch Weekly_

Remy botches a potion

Weasley tries to sabotage Remy's potion

Sirius sings a love song to Severus in the middle of the Great Hall

Voldemort asks Hermione for a date

Hermione is revelaed to be related to Malfoys

Hermione gives an interview to Rita Skeeter

Of the following, TWO will NOT happen:

Samantha does something _extremely_ stupid

Sirius saves Severus from Avada Kedarva - by sacrificing himself

Remy ensures that Samantha will not die of her illness

Hermione gets herself a boyfriend (not Ben, though)

Cho Chang is a bitch

Voldie-poo makes a serious mistake (Ha!)

Severus wears pink swimming trunks

Kingsley purposefully touches Remus with silver (yes, the werewolf one)

Voldemort AK's two of our heroes before his defeat

Remy shouts at Samantha

Severus shouts at Sirius

Harry brings his girlfriend to see his father

Our heroes watch Bambi

Sirius pulls a prank


	24. Beauties of the Ball

Disclaimer: I own very little.

A/N: This got longer than I intended... So long, in fact, that some of the stuff meant to be in this chapter just wouldn't fit in. Oh, well. I hope you like it anyway.

* * *

Twenty-third Chapter 

Beauties of the Ball

* * *

"Okay, Son," Sirius said with a grin. "Everything ready? You are going to me watched by everyone, you know. No time for rest and no possibilities to sneak off with your girlfriend, either." Sirius grinned, genuinely happy. After Remy and Samantha had made up, the boy hadn't been seen upset once. 

"I'm prepared for that." Remy flashed him a grin. "As long as Rita Skeeter doesn't tell any lies, I and Samantha will have no problems." Then, he grimaced. "If I don't make her mad again, of course. I'll definitely try to avoid doing that, but then again, I certainly didn't mean to enrage her the last time."

"That alone would be enough of a reason to turn me away from females," said a dry voice from the doorway, "assuming that I'd ever had any true interest for them, of course. Your dad is certainly impossible enough at times, but at least with him, I have some kind of an inkling as of how his brain is working, if at all. Females, however, are just impossible to understand."

"Amen to that," muttered Remy. Then he took another glance at his father and frowned. "Father? Are you going to go to the Ball, too?"

Severus grimaced a bit, smoothing his dark green dress robes. "Albus's demands," he sighed. "I had no choice in the matter. Well, at least I had no difficulties with finding a suitable partner," he added dryly.

"Of course not," Sirius chuckled. "After all, you have the most wonderful husband on your side, don't you?" He then span the Slytherin around, wrapping his arms around the thin waist, and kissed him right on the mouth.

Remy gagged. "Ewww," he said, glaring at his parents. "Get a room, you two."

"You're one to speak," Sirius said, grinning broadly as he pulled back. "After all, didn't we just recently walk into this very same room only to find you lying on the couch with a pretty girl on top of you? We are at least in our own quarters, you see, not in those of our parents'."

A very rare occasion then came about as Remy blushed. Sure, it was a very slight blush, hardly even colouring his pale face, but still a clear, very un-Snapish blush.

"Aww, Remie-poo is blushing," said an amused voice from the direction of the door. "Has some nasty person said something that embarrassed ickle Remie-poo?"

"Harry!" exclaimed Remy, turning towards his friend... well, technically cousin... well, genetically halfbrother. "I was starting to worry that you'd back off, you utter brat!"

"Don't even start, skunk boy," laughed Harry. "Like I would ever betray my words!"

"Harry?" asked Sirius, frowning. "You aren't here for the Ball, are you? No outsiders are allowed in without an invitation, you know, not even teachers' relatives."

"Well, I have an invitation," the honey-haired youth replied, grinning. He smoothed his dark blue dress robe, which was almost exactly similar to that of Remy's. "You see, I have a _date_ from the school."

"You? A date?" asked Sirius, disbelieving. "How did you find a girl foolish enough?"

"Not foolish at all," the eldest Marauder offspring said. "Instead, she's very much the most intelligent young witch I've come across, with a taste to match, of course. Don't you agree, my dearest cousin?" he asked, turning towards Remy.

"Well, she truly is that, although she is left second by Samantha." Remy smirked.

Severus's eyes widened. "Do not tell me that..." His voice trailed off.

"Hermione? Yup," Harry replied happily. "I needed a date, she needed a date, and we reached a mutually satisfying agreement." Now, he tugged at Remy. "Come on, cousin. When I asked from the Ravenclaw Tower, the girls were still not done. With a bit of luck, they are now getting finished, and if we are even a moment too late, they'll for sure get our hides."

"Typical," Remy said with a small chuckle. "What do you think, should we just give up on females and go to the Ball together?" He winked suggestively at his friend.

Harry laughed, too. "We wouldn't dare," he joked. "It would cost us our lives, that."

Both young wizards chuckled, then left the room together. Despite the age difference their heads, Harry's golden and Remy's black, were at the same height. With their similar robes and body build, never mind their expressions, it was easy to believe that half of their genes were practically the same.

Severus shook his head as he watched the two young men departing from the two professors' quarters. "I'm telling you," he said to his husband, "those two are worth more trouble than the Weasley twins ever."

Sirius merely chuckled as he drew Severus close again. "Well, it's a good thing they're on our side and not on Voldemort's, then, isn't it?"

"Precisely." And, as Severus hated owing anybody anything, he now decided to return the earlier favour he had received from his husband. Or, like the favour could also be called if one preferred such terms, the kiss.

* * *

As soon as the two young wizards got out into the deeper dungeons, Remy turned serious again. "By the way," he said, "I have something that belongs to you." 

"Oh?" Harry raised his eyebrows. "And what in Merlin's name might that be?"

"This." Remy drew something from his pocked and extended it towards his friend. It was a key, a Gringotts key, to be exact. "It's the key to the Potter family vault. Quite obviously, that belongs to you now."

Harry, however, shook his head. "No, it belongs to you," he said. "You were the only heir by the time they died. And if we go by the original bloodlines," he added as Remy opened his mouth, "it still belongs to you. After all, your father was originally the eldest Potter son, and thus the true heir."

"But Father hasn't returned to his original family," Remy argued. "He's a Snape, and I'm a Snape as well. Ours is the Snape inheritance. You, on the other hand, are the only Potter alive, and thus, the Potter fortune is rightfully yours."

Harry glared at him halfheartedly. "You aren't going to give up on this, are you?"

Remy smirked and shook his head. "Of course not," he said. "My reputation would be completely ruined if I ever gave up on anything."

The other young man rolled his eyes towards the ceiling and then took the offered key. "Very well," he muttered, "if it makes you happy. Now, let's hurry. The girls can keep us waiting as long as they want, but Merlin forbid if we're a second too late."

"That's because the girls' appearance is usually worth the fight," Remy said, grinning. "But you are right. We'd better not tempt any misfortune by dallying. By the way, do you have anything to give to your date?"

"Of course." At this, Harry drew a shrunk bunch of flowers from his pocket. "They have preservation charms on them to keep them fresh."

"Quite nice," Remy said, rising his eyebrow. "Let's just hope you can make the unshrinking charm work. Anyway, I have this." Then he took something from his pocket as well. "It's a necklace to match the bracelet I gave her on Christmas."

"A good choice," Harry praised. "Let's hope Samantha will like it, too."

They chatted on until they reached the Ravenclaw Tower. After Remy gave the password to the statue guarding the entrance "_Sic transit gloria mundi_" they stepped inside. There were only some boys in the Common Room, most probably waiting for their dates to show up, as the beginning of the Ball was drawing near.

Remy spotted Benjamin but didn't even have time to ask him for the girls as Hermione decided to make an appearance. She'd somehow tamed her brown hair onto an elaborate bun with a couple of shiny ringlets falling down to frame her face. Her dress robe was a beautiful green and golden thing that matched her colouring and body build perfectly. Seeing Harry, she gave him a shy smile.

The goldenhaired boy bowed deep in front of her, giving her the flowers he'd managed to unshrink at some point. "Have I died and got to the Heaven, or why are my mortal eyes allowed to see such an image of unearthly beauty?" he asked jokingly, taking her hand and placing a light kiss on the back of her palm.

"Oh, shut up, you prat," Hermione said with a warm smile. "You and Remy are truly too much alike." She smelled deep the flowers' scent. "Thank you," she said happily. "Would you be offended if I disappeared for a moment to put these into water?"

"Not at all, milady." He even managed to avoid her halfhearted swat.

Remy and Harry exchanged grins. Then, however, Remy's eyes were again fixed at the stairway as Samantha came to sight. The tiny girl's dress robe was so dark blue that it was almost black, its silver embroideries resembling stars on a dark night sky. Her hair was on a thick braid around her head, falling then down on the back of her head like a golden waterfall. Her warm eyes were twinkling with delight as she saw Remy, moving so swiftly over the floor that she was almost like dancing already.

"Ah, another angel graces us with their company," commented Remy with a grin to match that of Harry's. "And this time they are even more fascinating and appealing to the eye than the first one." He, too, bowed in front of her, then handed her the necklace that had a small heart pendant on it. "I hope you like it."

"Oh, it's wonderful!" exclaimed the tiny girl. "Thank you so much, Remy!" She eyed him again with shining eyes. "You wouldn't mind helping me to put it on, would you?" she asked then, a hint of mischief in her voice that didn't go unnoticed by Remy.

The darkhaired young wizard, of course, immediately complied her request. Waiting until she turned her back on him, he then stepped forward to fasten the necklace on the girl's neck. He was startled as he got a closer look at what he had thought to be a hair band where her braid completed the circle in the back of her head and fell down on free locks of wavy, golden hair. It was not a hair band it was Sarlass.

'_The one who speaksss_,' hissed Sarlass as she noticed him. '_I sssee you have an interessst for thisss young one. Isss ssshe your mate, perhapsss_?'

'_That would be wonderful, yes_,' Remy admitted. '_But, Sarlass, we're too young to mate. Therefore, I can only ask you to take care of her until we get older_.'

'_You humansss are weird_,' was the snake's only reply.

Now, Remy fastened the necklace around Samantha's neck. "What did you say to her?" asked Samantha curiously from him as he stepped back.

"I just told her to take care of you," Remy replied with the half-truth. "Why on Earth is she in your hair? I'd think the wrist is a better place."

"Perhaps," Samantha said, and shrugged. "But she was in my way as I tried to pull the dress on, so I asked her to move. Seemingly she understands English. Anyway, she seems to actually prefer my hair to my wrist." Now, she smiled warmly at him.

"Of course she understands English," Remy replied. "She's a very intelligent creature. Well, anyway," he said then, "the beginning of the Ball is getting closer. Perhaps we should head towards the Great Hall so as not to miss the beginning? Or shall we wait for Hermione and Harry, or just be fashionably late?"

Samantha giggled a bit. "I think we'd better go now," she said then, giving him a beaming smile. "Unless you absolutely want to make a late appearance to gain all the attention, of course," she then added a bit mischievously.

Remy faked a shudder. "Merlin forbid that," he said. "We're going to be the centre of attention anyway." Then, he offered his arm to her. "Shall we go, then?"

They talked happily as they made their way to the Great Hall. A few students walked past them in the corridor, but they paid absolutely no attention to them, only interested in each other. As they reached the doors to the Great Hall, Remy leant down to place a quick kiss on Samantha's lips before leading her inside.

The Great Hall was already half full of people. The House Tables had all disappeared to be replaced by smaller tables, and there was a large area for dancing in the middle of the Hall. There were pink, heart-shaped decorations everywhere. People were scattered around, talking and laughing.

"By the way, Remy," Samantha said as they walked further into the crowd, "can you dance?" She casted him a mischievous glance.

Remy raised an eyebrow. "Well, of course I can," he replied truthfully. "I'm now like I'd been forever raised to be a Snape, remember? Not a member of such an old Pureblood family can go around without knowing how to dance."

"Well, that's good, then." Samantha smiled up at him. "Let's just hope our height difference doesn't make it too difficult, though. I really want to dance."

"I think we can manage," Remy replied. His eyes scanned the people gathered in the Hall until they caught a familiar form. "What do you think, should we go to meet my parents?" he asked from his companion.

Chuckling, Samantha replied, "Definitely. If they both are here, it's truly worth a look."

Remy agreed on this. So, they made their way through the crowd towards the corner where the young wizard had spotted his parents.

Severus raised an eyebrow as he saw his son approaching. "My, my, dear son," he said smoothly. "So you actually arrived in time? I'm impressed."

"You forget one thing, Father," Remy replied smoothly. "I am Remy Snape, your son. I am _not_ Sirius Snape, your husband. Having spent quite some time with him, I am well aware of his tendency to be late, but I do not possess the same characteristic."

"Hey!" exclaimed Sirius, mock-offended. "Is this the way you should talk about your carrier? It was not easy work, carrying you, you know. Have at least some respect."

"Well, I'm awfully sorry, Dad," the young wizard said, "but I'm finding it hard to believe that Father raised me to respect a lazy, thickheaded mutt. So, save your lectures. All due respect to you, right, but I definitely do have the right to tease you."

Now, Sirius glanced at Severus for some support. As his husband just raised an eyebrow, he then turned towards Samantha. "You're such an intelligent young witch, Samantha," he whined. "Surely at least you disagree with this brat?"

Now, Samantha faked a thoughtful look. "Will I get a better grade for my next essay if I do?" she asked then innocently, flashing him a smile.

Sirius looked taken aback. "Remy's spoiled you," he grumbled then. "You were such a nice little girl before you started to date my son!"

"Of course she was," Severus spoke up rather calmly. "Nobody my father disapproves of can be a really bad person, after all."

"And how'd you come to that conclusion?" asked Remy. "Not that I don't agree, having seen Grandfather's attitude, but shouldn't you respect your father, too?"

"Well," the Potions Master said calmly, "he does not approve of Sirius, now does he? So, that proves that he doesn't have any sense at all when it comes to people."

Remy and Samantha both grinned at the befuddled expression on Sirius's face. Then they left the adult couple to the conversation that was sure to follow. After all, it was very rare that Severus in any way expressed his affection for his lover in public.

Soon they met Harry and Hermione. Both seemed pretty happy, which of course brought a smirk to Remy's face. "Oh, what a happy couple I'm seeing," he smirked. "Who is this young man, Hermione? Your boyfriend, perhaps?"

His friend just blushed slightly. "Be quiet, you brat," she said, although she sounded amused. "You haven't happened to see Remus anywhere, have you?"

"No, we haven't," Samantha replied, then smiled. "Look for a tall, black, bald man. If Kingsley's here, Remus is most probably somewhere nearby."

"You're right," chuckled Harry. "Kingsley's certainly much easier to notice than my father. Come on, Hermione," he said then, now turning serious. "I need to see my dad and make sure he's not up to anything stupid. Before that, I can't get rest."

"Well, luck in your quest," Remy said. "It looks like the Ball's about to begin, anyway. If I may?" He raised a questioning eyebrow and smirked at Samantha, who giggled. Then, she gave him her hand, and they headed towards the dancing floor just as music started to flow through the Hall and the dance began.

Harry watched after them for a while. Then he turned towards Hermione. "Well, what do you think?" he asked without any further explanations.

"What do I think about what?" asked Hermione, confused. "Your dad?"

"No. About Remy's comment." The goldenhaired young man flashed him a grin. "His first comment, to be exact. The one about a... boyfriend."

Hermione's eyes widened slightly. Then, however, she just smiled slyly. "Is that an offer?" she asked, half joking, half serious.

Harry, however, was completely serious as he replied, "If you want it to be?"

At this, the young witch broke into a warm smile. "Most gladly," she replied softly.

So, Harry bent down to press a light kiss on her lips before they continued their way.

* * *

A/N: THREE of the following will NOT happen: (See? It's getting a lot easier!) 

Samantha faints in class

_Hermione reads Witch Weekly_

Remy botches a potion

Weasley tries to sabotage Remy's potion

Sirius sings a love song to Severus in the middle of the Great Hall

Voldemort asks Hermione for a date

Hermione is revelaed to be related to Malfoys

Hermione gives an interview to Rita Skeeter

Of the following, TWO will NOT happen:

Samantha does something _extremely_ stupid

Sirius saves Severus from Avada Kedarva - by sacrificing himself

Remy ensures that Samantha will not die of her illness

Cho Chang is a bitch

Voldie-poo makes a serious mistake (Ha!)

Severus wears pink swimming trunks

Kingsley purposefully touches Remus with silver (yes, the werewolf one)

Voldemort AK's two of our heroes before his defeat

Remy shouts at Samantha

Severus shouts at Sirius

Harry brings his girlfriend to see his father

Our heroes watch Bambi

Sirius pulls a prank


	25. Magazines and Magic

Disclaimer: I own something.

A/N: I'm horribly sorry for the delay. Most of this chapter was ready ages ago; however, I remembered absolutely nothing about Bambi, and it took me forever to get some reference material from the local library. I beg you to forgive me.

Anyway, on with the story! There are not many chapters left! There'll probably be a sequel, though...

* * *

Twenty-fourth Chapter 

Magazines and Magic

* * *

Two days after the ball, Remy was just working on his Defence Against Dark Arts essay. Getting it finished at last, he rolled up the parchment, then glanced around. Most of the Ravenclaws preferred doing their homework in the library or, now that it had been deemed safe once again, in the Ravenclaw dungeons. For obvious reasons, however, neither Remy nor any of his friends really felt the need to go down there, so they were all in the Common Room at the moment. Remy himself was finishing his homework in front of one of the tables, Samantha sat on a sofa, and Hermione was sitting in an armchair across from her. Walking over to them, Remy sat down beside his girlfriend and put an arm around her shoulder. 

When he saw what exactly Hermione was reading, however, he blinked in surprise. "But... Hermione?" he asked, sounding almost shocked -- well, as shocked as a Snape could be, anyway. "Isn't that -- isn't that _Witch Weekly_?" As Hermione simply nodded, seemingly deeply concentrated on the magazine, the young wizard blurted out, "Why on Earth are you reading that crap?"

"Oh, there's just this rather interesting report about the Ball," Hermione said, smirking. "You two made it to the cover!" At this, she showed them the cover of the magazine. True enough, there was a picture of Remy and Samantha dancing.

"Oh, well," sighed Remy, running a hand through his hair, which he was wearing down for once. "Just what are they telling now? That I've cursed Samantha or what? I don't think they'd just leave me alone without any further comment."

"Well, read for yourself." And with this and tossing the magazine to him, Hermione leant back in the armchair, looking rather satisfied with herself.

So, with Samantha reading the magazine at the same time, Remy started to read.

_"LOVE DOES NOT CARE ABOUT THE SIZE_

_This was truly shown to be true in the Hogwarts St. Valentine's Day Ball. Remus Snape, formerly known as Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, formed one of the most wonderful couples of the night with his girlfriend, Samantha Green. It just happens to be so that young Remus is one of the tallest young men at the school, while Miss Green, a year and a half younger than her boyfriend, is rather petite. This does not bother the happy couple at all, though._

_Witch Weekly has heard rumours that it was a difficult choice to Remus Snape as of who he was going to attend the Ball with. At last he went with young Miss Green -- not necessarily voluntarily, we're told._

_"He asked me to go with him," tells us Cho Chang, one of Remus Snape's housemates in Ravenclaw. "Just like last year, he practically begged me to be his date. However, I declined, so he had to settle on Green."_

_Remus Snape's best friend Hermione Granger, however, does not agree. "She's lying," the curlyhaired beauty says immediately. "Remy'd never ask anybody else but Samantha, they're dating, for Merlin's sake! True, Chang did try to flirt at Remy, but she failed. He'd never have anything to do with her."_

_**So Miss Green was the first and only one young Remus asked to the ball?**_

_"Absolutely," Hermione confirms. "It was so romantic -- we other girls were all really envious. He'd somehow got a pink dove that carried a letter to her, and in the letter, he invited her for the ball. She of course accepted immediately."_

_Hermione herself did certainly not go unnoticed by anyone, either. Attending the ball beside the "new" Harry Potter, the recently discovered son of James Potter and Remus Lupin, she, too, was one of the most photographed ladies in the ball. Two other couples that interested reporters just as well as the students attending the ball were the last Potter's carrier, Remus Lupin, with his lover Kingsley Shacklebolt, and Remus Snape's parents, Severus and Sirius Snape._

_Having heard of Samantha Green's intelligence and great accomplishments in the Quidditch field, Witch Weekly congratulates Remus Snape for his good choice. We also wish the Boy Who Lived good luck in everything he does._

_-- By Rita Skeeter"_

Remy looked up at Hermione in awe. "You got her to write this?" he asked, amazed. "Unbelievable. She practically states that I'm with Samantha, and that others had better back off." He grinned broadly. "And how right she is," he added, placing a kiss on top of his girlfriend's head.

"Aww, keep it down, will you," chuckled Samantha. Then, however, she pouted. "That title is just rude," she complained. "Can you imagine what everybody will think as soon as they lay their eyes on that?"

'_Why isss ssshe upssset, the One Who Speaks_?' hissed Sarlass from her new favourite place as Samantha's hair band. '_I don't underssstand._'

'_She's just a bit annoyed_,' Remy replied. '_This magazine says something that probably makes some people think that we have mated, while we have not._'

'_Then why don't you two jussst mate and get it over with_?' asked the snake. '_I don't underssstand. You humansss are too complicated for me_.'

"What are you two talking about?" asked Samantha curiously as she watched her boyfriend and her pet snake hiss at each other. It always perked their curiosity when the two did that. She hadn't even found out Sarlass's species yet, let alone what she ate -- or when exactly Remy fed her, if at all.

"You don't want to know," Remy said with a slight grin. "Believe me, you don't want to know." Then, he laughed a bit. "Although you're probably dying of curiosity," he added, his eyes twinkling with mischief. As the time went by, his behaviour was beginning to resemble that of his carrier more and more, although he still was clearly a Snape at times. However, even this laughter would have been impossible to coax out of him just a few months earlier. Samantha had truly done a miracle.

"Well, of course I am," replied Samantha calmly. "You've corrupted me."

* * *

Samantha yawned as she turned yet a new page of the book in front of her. She was exhausted, but couldn't tell anybody. Remy'd have got worried for no reason. 

She had almost fainted that day in class for no apparent reason. She'd managed to convince everybody about the fact that she was fine, but now she was desperately hoping that Remy wouldn't find out. Especially she was worried of Sarlass telling him. Although she'd strictly forbidden the snake from uttering a single hiss about it, she still wasn't sure whether Remy would manage to coax the information out of the snake. And even if Sarlass stayed silent, there were always the rumours.

Samantha sighed. Remy didn't treat her like a porcelain doll, but he sure was more careful around her than around Hermione, and not just because they were dating. At times, it felt nice; mostly it was just irritating. Therefore, she definitely did not want to give Remy any more reasons to worry about her.

Suddenly, her eyes caught something surprising. There was a snake in the picture on the page -- a snake that looked exactly like Sarlass. Curious to know more about her pet, she started to read the passage under the picture.

"_The Indian Bloodling Snake_," she read. "_Curiously, this particular snake does not require any actual food, instead getting its energy from magic. To create a bond with the person whose magic they are consuming they need to be fed a few drops of their blood regularly, that's why the name."_ Suddenly, she felt cold. Blood magic?

"_Another bond the snake forms is the one with their master or mistress. Bloodlings are very protective of their owners, and don't hesitate to use their consumed magic if need be. They have a special ability to use their blood bond to transfer any harm inflicted upon their owner to the person they have a blood bond with. Even Unforgivable Curses are known to have passed the owner of the snake and affected the one giving their blood and magic instead_."

Samantha raised her eyes very slowly from the book. Then her gaze landed on Sarlass, who for once was wrapped around her wrist. "Did Remy know about this when he gave you to me?" she questioned.

Sarlass just tilted her head, looking innocent. Then she hissed questioningly.

"Don't give me that," the small girl snapped irritably. "You're an Indian Bloodling Snake, aren't you? So, did he know when he gave you to me that you can use your bonds with us to transfer any harm from me to him?"

For a moment, Sarlass seemed to be thinking. Then, very slowly, she nodded.

Samantha cursed under her breath. "That idiot."

* * *

"Hi, Samantha!" called out a happy voice. 

Samantha turned to smile at her boyfriend. "Oh, hi, Remy," she said. "So your classes ended already, eh? I thought you'd still have Charms."

"Well, I should have had that, yes," admitted Remy. "However, the previous class had somehow managed to fill the whole classroom with very sticky and strong spiderwebs, and we were told to just write an essay on Invisibility Charms. I almost pity Dad -- he still had seven students left to get out of the class room when I left."

Samantha laughed at that. The smile that followed, however, wasn't as bright as her usual smile. She was tired, and she definitely didn't feel too well at the moment.

"Hey, Samantha?" asked the older Ravenclaw, watching his girlfriend concernedly. She didn't look too good. "Are you sure you are all right?"

"What?" The small girl turned towards him and smiled a bit. "Oh, I'm fine, honestly, Remy. I'm just feeling a bit tired is all. There's nothing to worry about." However, just as she was saying this, her steps staggered a bit.

"Watch out!" exclaimed Remy as he grasped on her arm. "That's it," he said then, giving her a stern glance. "We are taking you to the Infirmary. Now."

"No. Really, Remy, I'm fine." And with that, she fainted right into his arms.

"Why do I have a feeling that this has happened before?" sighed the young wizard as he lifted his tiny girlfriend into his arms. Starting to carry her towards the Infirmary, he hissed at Sarlass, '_How could this happen_?'

'_I could do nothing, the One Who Ssspeaksss_,' replied the snake. '_Ssshe was not hurt. The harm came from within her. That kind of harm I cannot transssfer to you dessspite my wissshesss; it is out of my power to do ssso_.'

'_Very well_,' huffed Remy. '_I truly hope this won't happen again. I'm worried enough as it is_.' After that, he stayed silent, concentrating on his precious load.

* * *

Remy hovered nervously around the hospital bed on which Samantha lay. "What's wrong with her?" he asked worriedly. "It won't take long from her to recover, right?" 

"Nothing is seriously wrong, I can assure you," the mediwitch reassured him. "This is just a usual side-effect of Lacentria. It'll go away in a month or so," she said, then casted yet another scanning charm on Samantha and examined the results closely.

"Good, but what is it?" asked Remy irritably. "_What_ will go away in a month?"

"Why, her magic allergy, of course." As his eyes widened, she huffed. "Yes, she can still do magic. However, she also needs some Muggle influence to compensate the magical stress that comes upon her during the lessons."

Now, Remy was truly puzzled for once. "What do you mean, 'Muggle influence?'"

Madam Pomfrey shrugged. "Well, usually Muggle movies and some junk food do pretty well," she said, smiling a bit at this.

For a moment, Remy just stared at her. Then a wicked grin spread onto his face. "You don't think she would mind company while taking her cure, do you?" he asked.

Madam Pomfrey merely rolled her eyes. "Oh, dear," she said, although she didn't sound too upset about his attitude to this.

* * *

"Okay," said Remy, glancing around. "Do we have everything we need now?" 

"I think so," Hermione said, grinning. She, too, glanced around, looking at all the candies, snacks, and video tapes they had scattered around. She plopped down on the couch next to Samantha and took the remote control. "Okay. Let's begin."

Nobody complained about her taking control of the situation -- after all, she was a Muggleborn. Well, so Remy had grown up in a Muggle family, but he'd never got to watch videos with the Dursleys, so that didn't matter. So, he just sat on the other side of Samantha, Benjamin being sprawled on the nearby armchair.

After some time of fussing, reaching for the snacks, and muttered insults later, all four teens had their eyes nailed on the screen. Headmaster Dumbledore had kindly provided them with all charms required to make Muggle devices work inside Hogwarts, as well as the mentioned Muggle devices. Even though Samantha and Hermione had got to choose the movies, neither Remy nor Benjamin would have ever refused to participate in the little "Muggle party". For the snacks, the free time -- and in Remy's case for Samantha's company -- they were more than ready to bear some childish cartoons, not that they'd ever said aloud they were childish.

"Aww, isn't he cute!" squealed Samantha as soon as the little deer came into sight. When Bambi then tried to get up to his little feet, Hermione joined the squealing, too. The boys just glanced at each other and rolled their eyes.

The next time Samantha squealed was when the little skunk popped up from the flowers. Hermione giggled, "That skunk is really gay! I mean, just look at him!"

At Hermione's comment, Benjamin laughed. "Is there something you haven't told us, Remy?" he asked teasingly. "Perhaps something about resembling your parents?"

They continued watching, although not without Remy throwing a threatening glance at Benjamin. They all laughed when Bambi tried to slide on the ice, although the girls made pitying sounds as the little deer seemed to have hurt himself. Also, when they saw Flower all sleepy and tired, everybody but Remy laughed, especially after Hermione exclaimed, "Now I know why you're so lazy, Remy!"

A moment later, however, their laughter turned into shrieks. "Oh, no!" shouted Samantha, tears forming in her eyes. "His mama died! That's so sad!" Hermione sniffled, too. Remy drew Samantha into a hug, murmuring quietly to her.

'_Why is ssshe ssso sssad?_' asked Sarlass, sounding confused. '_What happened_?'

'_The little deer's mother just died in the story,_' told Remy. '_Girls tend to get upset over those things. Besides, I think it reminds her of her own mother, who's dead._'

'_I don't underssstand you humansss_,' the snake hissed. '_Crying -- it'sss called crying, isssn't it? -- will not bring the lossst onesss back. It doesss no good. And besssidesss, thisss ssstory isss not real. Why are they ssso upssset_?'

'_I don't know, I'm not a girl_,' replied Remy with a shrug. '_I think you have a better chance at understanding it than me -- after all, you're female, too._'

It didn't take long from the girls to cheer up, however, when the spring came again and little Bambi had grown up. They all laughed at the three animals' proud announcements about being never going to fall in love. When Flower then met a girl skunk, Benjamin laughed out loud at Remy's expression.

"What's that, Remy?" he asked teasingly. "Running away with some strange girl!" Samantha pretended to give Remy a hurt gaze, while Hermione just laughed.

When it became Thumper's turn to meet a girl, however, it was Remy who spoke up. "Oh, Samantha, how could you do this to me?" he whined. "I'll never be able to get over this! I trusted you, and you cheated on me with some strange _rabbit_!"

"Oh, shut up!" shouted Hermione. "You went away with some strange skunk at first! She had every right to do that as you clearly didn't care about her!"

Now Remy pouted very uncharacteristically, and then suddenly turned into a skunk. Samantha just grinned at him. Then, suddenly, she had a pair of bunny ears on her head. Both Hermione and Benjamin looked very surprised, but Remy didn't say anything -- well, of course he couldn't, being still in his animal form. Instead, he now climbed into Samantha's lap, lying down looking every bit like he was going to stay there for a longer time. Samantha huffed at first, but then settled to pet his soft fur.

* * *

Sirius opened the door and looked into the living room of their quarters. He smirked as he saw Remy and Benjamin in the middle of a fight for the last popcorn, using a couple of couch pillows as weapons. Meanwhile, Samantha and Hermione were calmly eating candies, watching the Lion King very attentively. 

"Well?" asked Severus, raising an eyebrow, as Sirius closed the door again. "What were they doing there? Nothing too bad, I hope."

"Well, considering that Hermione already has a boyfriend, Ben's dating with some girl, and Samantha has her big brother present, I don't think they'd do anything bad," laughed Sirius. Then he added, "Don't worry. They seemed fine to me."

"And by 'fine' you mean...?" Severus's eyebrow was still raised in question.

"Happy," replied Sirius. "Happy, carefree -- and absolutely un-Snape-ish." With a grin, he added, "It looks like Samantha and Hermione have managed to overcome even your genes in the end. I wonder what you would be like if your best friends had been two girls when you were younger!"

"Well, I most certainly wouldn't be married to you," said the Potions Master dryly. "So, be happy that my friends were all boys."

"Oh, I am very, very happy about that." And then, Sirius drew his husband into a fierce kiss -- not that Severus protested much.

* * *

A/N: THREE of the following will NOT happen: (It's really easy now!) 

Samantha faints in class

Remy botches a potion

Weasley tries to sabotage Remy's potion

Sirius sings a love song to Severus in the middle of the Great Hall

Voldemort asks Hermione for a date

Hermione is revelaed to be related to Malfoys

Of the following, TWO will NOT happen:

Samantha does something _extremely_ stupid

Sirius saves Severus from Avada Kedarva - by sacrificing himself

Remy ensures that Samantha will not die of her illness

Voldie-poo makes a serious mistake (Ha!)

Severus wears pink swimming trunks

Kingsley purposefully touches Remus with silver (yes, the werewolf one)

Voldemort AK's two of our heroes before his defeat

Remy shouts at Samantha

Severus shouts at Sirius

Harry brings his girlfriend to see his father

Sirius pulls a prank


	26. New Revelations

Disclaimer: I own something.

A/N: If this chapter seems hurried, that's because it _is_ hurried. This chap is necessary if I ever actually get around to write the sequel I've planned, but for this story, it is just kind of a fill-in before I finish this story.

So, for the rest of the fic, you have two choices: Either you have two chapters after this and an epilogue (in which case there's going to be a severe cliffhanger) or one super-hyper-extra-long ending chapter and an epilogue. The choice is yours, I can do either -- although I think that the long ending chapter might be actually out faster, so I guess you'd like that more. (Don't ask.)

* * *

Twenty-fifth Chapter 

New Revelations

* * *

"Okay, class," Severus said, eyeing the fifth year Hufflepuff-Ravenclaw class. "Today, we are doing the Relation Revealer. You will all receive a blood sample of a person whose possible relation to you is known so that I will be able to evaluate your success. I've chosen them so that we will see all kinds of results." 

After writing the recipe for the blackboard, he then started to hand out tiny phials with name labels and the blood samples. "Here's your sister, Miss Patil, you should get the result for a twin... Oh, and your cousin, Mister Magnar..."

As he came to Remy and Hermione's desk, he raised an eyebrow while handing Remy his phial. The label read, "_Harry Potter_." "As the potion works with genes, we are going for the result of a halfbrother," he told camly. "And as for you, Miss Granger... I'll be very disappointed if you mess this one." He handed her another phial. This time the label read, "_Draco__Malfoy_." Hermione smirked and nodded.

"Okay. So what are the results?" asked Hermione as they both started to brew their own potions. "You see it from the colour of the potion when you've added the blood, right? Now, where did I put that diagram?"

"It's here, I stole it," told Remy with no regret at all. "It says white for a non-relative -- I guess you should get that -- light blue for a second cousin, blue for a cousin, purple for a halfsibling, grey for a sibling, and black for an identical twin or the person's own blood. So, white for you, purple for me," he added them.

Following the instructions Severus had written on the blackboard, they both started to prepare their ingredients. Remy, of course, was doing everything just as precisely as his father would have, his potion being near to perfection. However, the amount of time the potion had to be let to simmer in its third stage depended on the brewer's gender. Therefore, he still hadn't added the few final -- and potentially explosive -- ingredients while Hermione was already preparing hers for the final testing. Making a small slash on her palm with a specifically chosen knife, Hermione let a few drops of her blood fall into the potion.

Remy watched as she added Draco Malfoy's blood into the potion. Then he watched Hermione's potion turn, not white, but blue. Startled, he dropped the phial in his hand -- and it fell right into his cauldron, just where it shouldn't have.

"Nooooo!" was all he could shout before the cauldron exploded, covering the entire classroom with sticky, pink goo.

* * *

"I'm expecting a _really_ good explanation for this, young man," said Severus coolly. 

Remy looked at his father, ashamed. Well, at least he was struggling to look ashamed and not laugh out loud. The reason for his amusement was his father's unusual attire.

The pink stuff that had spread from his cauldron had indeed covered the entire classroom and all its contents, including both the students and the teacher. And, unfortunately, all of Severus's clothes were currently in the laundry. And that truly meant _all_ of them. Therefore, he'd had to resort to the one piece of clothing he would have never touched otherwise -- and that was enough to make his son laugh.

After all, it wasn't every day you saw Severus Snape in pink swimming trunks, right?

"I don't think he's really capable of giving any explanations," Sirius said calmly as he walked into the room. "Here, put this on. Maybe he'll then be able to take you seriously." He tossed a robe at his husband. Glaring at him and grumbling under his breath, Severus then pulled the robe on. Being Sirius's, it was too large for him, but at least it hid the horrible garment he was wearing.

"He's never ever worn those trunks before, and I don't think he will ever wear them again," Sirius told Remy cheerfully. "James bought them for him as a joke after he once walked in on us snogging -- after he'd got over the initial shock, of course. It's not like he couldn't accept it, given that he was already drooling at Moony at that point, but I guess it's a bit of a surprise to see your twin brother and best friend trying to suck each other's tongues off."

"Enough!" barked Severus, who had managed to regain some of his dignity now that he wasn't dressed absolutely ridiculously. "I'm still awaiting an explanation."

Now, Remy gulped. Then he said quietly, "Well, Hermione was just finishing her potion... I watched her while she prepared it, it was perfect. But when she added Malfoy's blood, it turned blue... So I was of course startled and dropped some dryad tears into my potion, which made it explode. End of story."

"It turned _blue_?" echoed Severus, raising both eyebrows. Then, however, his expression turned cunning. "Her Animagus form is a snowy owl, isn't it?" At both Sirius's and Remy's confirmative nods, his smirk got even wider. "Oh, _my_," he said, sounding positively gleeful. "Get Hermione here, _now_. I'm going to get a new blood sample from young Mister Malfoy and prepare some Relation Revealer from my own stocks. Then we'll see if my suspicions are confirmed."

"What do you mean?" asked Remy, confused for once. "What suspicions?"

"Not many know this," Severus said, "but Lucius had a sister. However, she turned out to be a Squib, and was sent to the Muggle world. From the family records they saw as she died, and hadn't even bothered to disown her before that -- but it seems that she didn't die without leaving an heiress." With an even broader smirk, if something like that was even possible, he continued, "Fortunately, the Ministry has declared me an officially acceptable tester in family relation cases. And, if _my_ potion turns out to be blue, Lucius will be _very_ unhappy."

Remy's eyes widened momentarily. Then he, too, smirked. "Oh, _yes_," he said.

* * *

Hermione stared at her Potions Professor, bewildered. This could not be true. Sure, her potion had confirmed it, Severus's potion had confirmed it, and even a charm casted on her and a very reluctant Lucius Malfoy had confirmed it. Her biological mother, whom she hadn't even known as she'd died in childbirth to give life to her, had indeed been Marielle Malfoy. True, she had always known that the current Mrs Granger wasn't really her mother, although she loved her as such, and had also suspected that she might have Wizarding blood from her true mother's side. But that _this_ would happen... Malfoys were one of the oldest Pureblood families. Well, she most certainly wasn't a Mudblood, now. 

"Here." Severus gave her a keyring heavy with keys. "It's your part of the Malfoy fortune, Gringotts vaults from 100 to 217. Your mother was still alive when the elder Malfoys died, but she was ignored when it came to the inheritance. So, this is your rightful share, the one you should have inherited through her."

Hermione gave him a disbelieving gaze. "You're kidding, right?" she asked. As Severus shook his head, she then wondered, "117 vaults? Just how much is that?"

"More than you can spend in all your living days, I'm sure," the Head of Slytherin said amusedly. "Oh, and let's not forget these," he added, handing her some parchments. "Lucius was adamant on keeping the Malfoy Manor, so I got you a couple of castles instead. Oh, and of course some wine yards and estates to make sure that the money still rolls in."

The young witch's eyes widened. "This is some kind of a joke, isn't it?" she still said.

"I'm afraid it isn't," Severus replied. "You are the richest witch alive in Britain. Congratulations." Then, he smirked. "You should have _seen_ Lucius's face when he saw the test results," he chuckled. "Obviously the thought of you being his niece was rather nauseating to the high and mighty Malfoy."

"But... I don't..." Hermione shook her head slowly. Then, she suddenly grinned. "Oh, I can't wait to see my dear _cousin_'s reaction to this!"

"Ah, yes, Draco," Sirius said, smirking. "By the way, this means that you and Remy are now kind of related, too." At her startled expression, he laughed. "No, that does not mean that you and Harry are related," he soothed her. "It's just that, through an unfortunate accident, Narcissa is my cousin. That means that Draco is my first cousin, once removed, which makes you and Remy second-cousins-in-law or something equally weird. At least you have a cousin in common."

"What?" asked Remy, looking disgusted. "You mean that Malfoy's my second cousin? That's -- that's just _gross_. I can't believe I'm actually related to _him_!"

Now, however, Hermione smirked. "If you remember, Remy," she said, "I am a Malfoy in a way, too. Should I be offended?" Not waiting for a response, she then started to advance on him. Remy 'eep'ed and ran out of the room.

Sirius and Severus glanced at each other. Then they both shrugged. "Teenagers," they said in unison as if that explained everything. Which, in a way, it did.

* * *

By breakfast the next morning the rumour had reached everybody. Hermione Granger was Draco Malfoy's cousin -- and had just got half of the Malfoy inheritance! Needless to say, all eyes were locked at the Ravenclaw Table, gossip flying wild among the students. 

Hermione began feeling rather uneasy. Remy and Samantha were not there yet, as Samantha had been in an early morning Quidditch practice and Remy had been watching her. With her friends there it would have been a lot easier to bear her newly revealed cousin's hateful and everybody else's wondering glances.

Then she got something else to think about, however, as an owl landed in front of her with a letter tied onto its leg. Curious, she untied the letter and began to read. She finished reading, stunned, just as her friends walked to the table.

Remy frowned as he saw Hermione's expression. "What's wrong?" he asked. "You look weird." During this inquiry, he pulled out a chair for Samantha and sat himself.

"Look," said Hermione, sounding shocked. "This just came by owl."

Remy immediately took the letter she handed to him and started to read. The further he got on the lines of spidery handwriting, the more shocked he was.

"_My dearest Hermione_," the letter began. "_Having heard so much about you, and knowing your great importance to Remus Snape who has a rather weighty role in my life, I find it disappointing that I haven't met you yet. Knowing that you are a powerful and intelligent witch, even extremely so, given your young age, I think that a conversation with you would be most interesting. Also, the recent news of your relation to the Malfoy family has attracted my interest. Therefore, to get to talk with you, I shall invite you to join me on dinner on Saturday next week. In case you weren't too eager to meet me, given my unfortunate reputation, I have taken the liberty to ensure your arrival._

_"Eagerly looking forward to meeting you,_

_Lord Voldemort_."

Samantha, who had been reading the letter over his arm, frowned and looked up at him. "Is this some kind of a sick joke?" she questioned.

"I'm afraid not," said Remy gloomily, rubbing his scar annoyedly. "This is indeed from Voldemort himself. And this most certainly is not a joke, but yet another sign of dangerous insanity." Glancing at both his best friend and his girlfriend, he then said, "I believe we should go to tell my fathers... _now_."

* * *

A/N: The first list of things-to-happen has been cleared... So, the things that didn't happen were 

Samantha faints in class

Weasley tries to sabotage Remy's potion

Sirius sings a love song to Severus in the middle of the Great Hall

Of the following, TWO will NOT happen:

Samantha does something _extremely_ stupid

Sirius saves Severus from Avada Kedarva - by sacrificing himself

Remy ensures that Samantha will not die of her illness

Voldie-poo makes a serious mistake (Ha!)

Kingsley purposefully touches Remus with silver (yes, the werewolf one)

Voldemort AK's two of our heroes before his defeat

Remy shouts at Samantha

Severus shouts at Sirius

Harry brings his girlfriend to see his father

Sirius pulls a prank

...Also, you still have the choice of either two chaps and an epilogue or one long chapter and an epilogue.


	27. The Final Sacrifices

Disclaimer: I own very little. However, Samantha, Sarlass, and Remy's personality are MINE! ALL MINE!

A/N: Most of you wished for one long chapter and an epilogue, so here you go. This chapter is over twice as long as any other chapter, except for 21 and 22. So, I most certainly will not have any yapping about it not being long enough!

Okay, so this is my version of how Voldemort is brought down... Among about ten thousand others.

A warning, though: When I planned this chapter way back, I started to play with a thing I don't think I've ever done before, except for some non-descriptive mentions in some fics... To be exact, CHARACTER DEATH.

* * *

Twenty-sixth Chapter 

The Final Sacrifices

* * *

"You are indeed right, Remy. This is not something that should be taken lightly," Dumbledore said gravely. "It looks like Voldemort is planning to kidnap Hermione." 

"Well, I'd say that is pretty obvious," Severus noted dryly. "Now, we have to figure out two things. One, what has made him so self-confident that he dares to do this? And two, how can we use this on our advantage?"

"I think it'd be best if we indeed let him have Hermione," Remus commented. At the shocked glances he got from everybody, he sighed and shook his head. "No, hear me out first. It's really simple. It's obvious that the Dark Lord is going to take her to his lair. We should gather a group of people from the Order -- Remy included, of course -- turn them into bugs or something and hide them in Hermione's robes next Saturday. Once there, she could turn them back into humans and we could strike right at the snake's den. And just in case Hermione is disposed of her wand, Remy could act as a smuggler -- his Animagus form is the smallest, so he could get all the wands and hide, then transform back, once there, and release the others to their human forms. Or, if that's too risky, we can simply put a tracking spell on her -- or, rather, two tracking spells, one that can be found and another hidden so they won't suspect anything. Then we simply Apparate there, using the connection to her."

"I think that plan has two flaws," Samantha said quietly. "One, the Dark Lord most probably has anti-Apparating wards around his lair. And two, Remy's Animagus form is not the smallest. Instead, mine is." At the last statement, she sounded very brave. "I don't want to stand back. I want to help as well."

"And your statement has two flaws as well, Samantha," Sirius pointed out levelly. "One, we can't allow you to go as your father most probably wouldn't approve. And two, you still haven't completed your Animagus transformation."

At this, the tiny girl snorted. Then, in front of their astonished eyes, she started to change. After mere seconds, a tiny, golden bunny glared up at them.

"That is a great achievement, Samantha," Severus said quietly. "However, we still cannot allow you to come. It is far too dangerous. And as for the anti-Apparation wards, well, hiding as bugs in Hermione's robes would probably take care of that."

"That's not fair!" yelled Samantha, now back as a human. "You're all going to go there -- I know you're both going too, you wouldn't let Remy go there alone -- and I'll be forced to just sit here and wait! What if one of you doesn't come back? What if Remy _dies_ while defeating the Dark Lord? That could happen, you know. Then I'll spend the rest of my life wondering whether I could have prevented that!"

"Samantha, dear, calm down," sighed Remy, wrapping his arms around his tiny girlfriend. "Even if my fathers allowed it -- what they would never do -- _I_ don't. There's no way I'll let you go there, Samantha. Even if I die, I at least want to die knowing that _you_ are safe, somewhere, and that Voldemort can't hurt _you_."

"What does it matter?" asked the girl quietly, all her fury now having left her, leaving her simply sad. "I'm weak and sickly even now; I most probably will only live a few years more, unless the cure is found -- and if you're dead, nobody will be able to find it. Do you think those few years would be worth not knowing if I could have saved you? Not knowing if there was a possibility that you would still be alive?"

"Enough with the sad talk," Sirius said firmly. "We will solve the question of your attendance later, Samantha. Right now, we have to find out how to get in there." He glanced around. "It is too dangerous to rely on somebody having a wand to return us to our usual form. However, I know of another way." A momentary grin flashed on his face. "I'm not a Charms Master for nothing, after all. Anyway, my suggestion is this: We transform into animals, and then somebody shrinks us. If we then return to our human forms, we will be the usual size. Easy enough, eh?"

"As much as I do trust your skills as a Charms Master," Severus said dryly, not sounding very convinced, "I think we still should try that beforehand to be sure it works. It wouldn't be very nice to be a few inches tall and in the hands of Death Eaters, now would it?" He raised a questioning eyebrow at his husband.

"You're free to try it out, as I am confident it will work," Sirius replied calmly. "Headmaster Dumbledore? Would you happen to have a more detailed plan?"

"We have to destroy the Dark Lord permanently," the Headmaster said with determination in his voice. "And to do that, we have to ensure that his soul cannot escape this time. It simply isn't enough if we only destroy his body."

"And how exactly are we going to do that?" asked Remy dryly. "I'd like to know exactly what I'm supposed to do, you see. I hardly can afford a mistake."

Dumbledore gave him a serious gaze. "The only thing you're supposed to do, Remy, is to kill the Dark Lord. It is something only you can manage to do. Others will take care of his soul." The wise blue eyes flying from one wizard to another, he finished, "To be exact, Remus."

"What?" Remus looked perplexed. "Me? Why me? Surely there'd be more suitable --"

"But there aren't," the Headmaster said firmly. "You see, we have just recently discovered this talisman. It has great magical powers that can indeed bind an evil spirit and destroy it. However, the talisman alone can trap the spirit only if it has possessed somebody else's body than its own. If it has left its original body and not possessed another -- like will happen when Remy defeats Voldemort's body -- some special spells have to be performed to trap it into the talisman. You're our expert on that kind of magic, given your great knowledge and skills in the Dark Arts. Only Severus is even close to match, and even he's not as skilled at the practical part of the spell. Of course, you'll also need a companion to hold the talisman."

"Why on Earth?" Sirius asked, confused. "Why'd Remy need help? He surely can spell with only one hand free. Or is the talisman really big and heavy, or something like that?"

"Oh, no," the ancient wizard replied, laughing a bit. "In fact, it fits quite well onto the palm. Here, let me show you." He pulled something from his pocket and presented it to them. It was a beautiful pendant, finely carved, a well-cut ruby in the middle. "And as you can see, Remus would probably be very uncomfortable holding it." Oh, and it was made of silver, too.

Remus nodded. Then he said, "I'd like to have Kingsley as my companion."

The Headmaster nodded, smiling briefly. "I understand completely, my boy."

And with that, they started making the plans.

* * *

As The Day drew nearer, Remy and his family and friends were all getting nervous. The teens were finding it very difficult to concentrate at class, and the adults were having just as much trouble at carrying on with their teaching. Samantha, who after long debates had been forbidden from participating in the "destroying trip", was sulking, and Remy was unsurprisingly upset about this. Hermione was swinging from slightly nervous to downright terrified, and for a reason, too. After all, she was playing quite a major role in their plan. 

On Saturday morning they all gathered into the Snape quarters. There, well hidden from any prying eyes far below the castle, they started the final preparations. Remus casted tracking charms on Hermione -- one that could be found with a bit of effort, and another well hidden. If a skilled witch or wizard had inspected her closely, they might have managed to detect the hidden charm as well, but thanks to the other charm, nobody probably would bother.

After that was taken care of so that Remus, Kingsley, and the rest of the Order could indeed arrive to wherever Voldemort's lair was -- the charm would allow them to pass any wards -- they continued with the preparations. Not saying a word, both Sirius and Severus hugged at first Remus, then each other, and at last Remy. Nobody dared to say anything. They all knew this might be the last time ever they were all together like this.

Remy hesitated a bit as he watched his parents changing into their Animagus forms. Then he quickly hugged Hermione, who was blinking with tears, and then gave a longer hug to Samantha. Despite her previous sulking, the little girl now broke down, clutching on him and crying silently. Remy merely held her for a while, everybody else watching them.

Then, tightening his hug for a moment, Remy whispered, "Don't worry, Samantha, I will be back. I promise." Then, as if unable to bear the moment any longer, he, too, quickly transformed. Remus casted a spell at the three animals, shrinking them all. Hermione took these tiny creatures and put them into her pockets, careful not to crush them. Then, with a wavering smile, she excused herself, took the still sobbing Samantha by hand and led her out of the room.

* * *

Hermione was nervous, and for a reason, too. It was already three o'clock, and nothing special had yet happened. The animals in her pockets had begun to get restless, and she had fed them, a bit amused at how cute they looked in their tiny, furry forms. She knew very well, however, that there was a good reason for Voldemort to feel threatened by this family. 

At the moment, she was sitting under a tree in the Hogwarts grounds, near the lake. It was kind of chilly, and there was nobody in sight. Sighing a bit, she leant her head back against the tree.

"Tired, are we?" asked a familiar voice behind her. As she turned around, she saw Harry. Her boyfriend looked kind of pale, but otherwise, he seemed just fine. She didn't need to ask why he was there, but she needed to play along. She knew for sure they were being observed.

"Kind of, yes." She sighed again, then stood up. "What are you doing here, anyway?"

"Why, I came to see you, of course." His eyes flickered in a way that confirmed her suspicions. Yes, Harry was indeed the one who was supposed to take her to Voldemort. "Oh," he continued then, as if only remembering it then, "and I have something to give to you."

"What is it?" she asked, walking towards him. As he held out a necklace, she gave an appropriate gasp. "Is -- is that for me?" she asked quietly.

"Just for you," Harry replied with a nod. "Here, take it." She reached her hand out.

Just like she had expected, the moment her fingers touched the necklace she was tugged away. A moment later she was unceremoniously dropped to a cold stone floor as the Portkey ceased from working. "What!" she exclaimed, trying to sound properly surprised. "But -- where are we? What was that? Was that a Porkey? Answer me, Harry!" The only answer she got, however, was a quietly said disarming spell that took away her wand. "Why'd you do that!" she exclaimed, managing to sound very shocked. She'd be a good actress, truly.

"And here I was thinking you were a smart young woman, Miss Granger," a cold voice drawled from the corner of the room. As she glaced there, she didn't have to act as she froze. Lord Voldemort was there, looking as ugly as ever, looking at her with his creepy eyes.

"But -- Harry --" She gave him a helpless glance, and he smirked evilly in return. A shiver ran down her spine as she momentarily thought, '_What if...?_' However, she quickly dismissed that thought. Harry was on their side. He had to be.

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint," the Dark Lord continued, "but your little boyfriend here has made the smart choice of joining my side. As you are such a powerful and intelligent witch, and as we've recently discovered that you have Malfoy blood in your veins, I'd like to offer you the same chance. So, tell me, Hermione... don't you want to be on the winning side, too?"

"Of course," she spat. "And that's why I'm not going to join you!"

"Ah, fierce as ever," Voldemort said, sounding almost amused. "It is indeed easy to believe that you are a Malfoy by blood. Very well. You will have time until dinner to think about my offer. By then I'll ask you again. If you accept, you will be one of my most respected servants, like your uncle Lucius. If you don't, well... at least I'll have a bait with which to tempt your friends here, right?" A fiery light flickering in his eyes, he continued, "Speaking of which... _Finite Incantantum_." Hermione shivered as he felt the outer tracking charm being disabled. However, she was relieved to notice that the other one to still remained. Oh, Voldemort had enough power to wipe it away a couple of hundred times, sure, but it was one of a kind of spell that could only be disabled if you knew it was there.

Turning towards a couple of Death Eaters who stood in the corner -- when on Earth had they got there? -- Voldemort then snapped his fingers. "Take the young lady into the dungeons!"

Some time later Hermione found herself dragged down the corridor by a couple of Death Eaters. As soon as she figured they were far enough from Voldemort, she kicked one of the men holding her. The man loosened his grip on her arm momentarily, just for long enough for her to slip a hand into her pocket and take out the furry creature inside. As soon as Sirius was out, he transformed back into a human, stupefying the shocked Death Eaters with little difficulty.

Then Hermione took Severus and Remy out of their hiding places, too, and they transformed back into humans. Before doing anything else, though, Severus nailed his eyes at her. "Now, Hermione," he said coolly, "take her out. I know you have her."

Sirius looked confused, but Remy's eyes widened in shocked realization -- he wasn't a Ravenclaw for nothing, after all. "Hermione!" he exclaimed. "I don't believe this. You know exactly how dangerous this is, and you take her with you!"

Hermione flushed in embarrassment and fury. "I don't know how much of our conversation you heard from your hiding places," she said angrily, "but she was on the edge of breaking down entirely. She was absolutely sure that she'd never see you alive again! And you think I could have left her behind to wonder whether she'd ever see any of us again? Well, _fuck you_!"

The three wizards stared at her, shocked. Then Sirius shook his head. "Trust Voldemort to pick _that_ time of the month to kidnap a girl," he muttered, receiving a death glare from Hermione at this. Then, she put her hand in her breast pocket and drew out a tiny bunny. As soon as she'd been placed on the floor, the bunny transformed back into Samantha.

"Samantha," Remy said, sounding almost pained, "there's a reason why I wanted you to stay back. I don't want you to get hurt. I'm destined to face the evil bastard, and Hermione and my fathers are too deeply involved to get out of this anymore. However, there's absolutely no reason for you to get into this mess. I just want to keep you safe. Is that such a bad thing?"

"And there's a reason why I didn't want to stay back," she said, her voice wavering but her eyes determined. "I don't want to lose you. Is that so bad, then?"

"As sweet as this little scene is," Sirius commented dryly, "I think you'd better continue it somewhere else. Standing in an open corridor in the old snake face's lair hardly seems like a good plan for me. Of course, if your opinions differ, feel free to tell me, but..."

"Fine, fine," muttered Remy. "Look, Samantha," he said then, "there's no way we're getting you back to Hogwarts now. When the Order and Aurors come, they'll be too busy fighting to take you away. And if I'm to face Voldemort, you can't help me there. Nobody can help me; he'll just kill anybody who comes between us two. So please, do me a favor and go hiding somewhere safe, okay? No stupid stunts now. Please, Samantha."

"Remy --" she started to speak, but was interrupted by his finger on her lips. Then, the finger was soon replaced by his lips as he lightly kissed her.

"Now, go," he said, "and stay safe. For my sake, okay? The best thing you can do for me right now is to make sure you don't get hurt. If I know that, I'll have one thing less to worry about."

"He's right, by the way, Samantha," Severus stated quietly. "You couldn't do anything anyway. I doubt even I and Sirius could do anything to keep him safe if it came down to that."

She nodded slowly. Then she turned around and started to run, her hand clutching her wand so tightly that her knuckles where white. Remy looked after her for a moment, absolutely silent. The others, however, looked at him, looks of slight worry on their faces.

Then, however, five Death Eaters ran to sight from the other direction, and all Hell broke loose.

* * *

Remy didn't know how long he'd run from room to room, searching from Voldemort. All he knew was that the whole building was now full of Death Eaters, Aurors, and Order members fighting. His parents and Hermione were somewhere in the middle of dozens of on-going battles; he'd lost sight of them a while ago. Now he could only hope that they were safe. 

Samantha was safe, that he knew. Of course he hoped she'd keep out of harm's way, but that was for purely selfish reasons. She couldn't know about his bond with Sarlass, and about the snake's bond with her. So, he just hoped he wouldn't get hurt for that.

Of course, he also suspected that he might not even know if she was hurt. In the end it was Sarlass's decision as of whether or not the damage was transferred from her to him, and Sarlass knew exactly what was his mission. Knowing the snake, she would refuse to bring any harm to him until he'd got rid of the Dark Lord. Damn all female beings.

Throwing open yet another door, he jumped over an unmoving Death Eater. Seeing an Auror in the room, he nodded briefly before running to the door in the other end of the room. The woman looked a bit surprised, but then just nodded back. Probably she'd recognized him.

As his long braid hit yet another corner, Remy found himself again considering cutting his hair shorter. It was a pain in the ass to care for and was always hitting something when he was in hurry. But, well, Samantha liked it, so he kept it that way.

Another door brought him to a currently vacated hall. It was enormous and full of shadows, and obviously just the room where Voldemort gave his orders to the Death Eaters. This he figured from the large, dark, threatening-looking throne in the far end of the hall. It looked just like something the Dark Lord would prefer. Involuntarily shivering, Remy continued on his way, staying close to the wall all the time. After a moment he saw some way ahead a door. It was a simple wooden door, small and old -- and usually just those hid the darkest secrets behind themselves. He didn't need to be reminded of the door to the Upper Ravenclaw Dungeons.

Just then he heard a bellowed, "_STUPEFY_!" The next moment he felt himself flying, the wand dropping from his hand, and his head hitting the stone wall. And then, he knew nothing.

* * *

When Remy came to, he noticed that his situation had certainly not got better. Rather, it had taken a drastic turn to worse. He was exactly at the same place where he'd hit the wall -- except that he was now hanging on the wall, his wrists and ankles fastened by chains. His wand was lying on the floor out of his reach, teasing him. If he only could reach it, it wouldn't be any problem to free himself. 

When he glanced around the hall, however, he noticed that the situation was even worse than he'd thought at first. Voldemort was sitting on his throne, obviously very satisfied with himself. And on the other side of the hall, way too far for them to reach him without the Dark Lord stopping them before that, sat his parents. His Dad was seemingly injured, as he was cradling his right arm and grimacing in pain, and his Father was seated between his husband and Voldemort as if to work as a barrier to protect his beloved. He didn't see Samantha, Hermione, Remus, or Kingsley anywhere, nor did he know if that was a good or a bad sign.

"Ah, so the brat has waken up at last," the Dark Lord snarled. "Very well. We were already waiting for you to open your eyes, you all-mighty Boy Who Lived." The last bit was spat with so much venom and hatred that it seemed almost impossible even for the most evil wizard of all.

At these words, Sirius's eyes shot up from the floor and at his son. Severus, too, ceased glaring at Voldemort for a moment to glance at the boy. There was silent pain on his parents' faces, and Remy grimaced, wondering what exactly they had had to endure.

"I guess you wonder how I could harm you," Voldemort drawled, his eyes staying intently on Remy. "Well, my dear brat, that is simple. My wand might be a brother to yours, but I am not using my own wand at the moment. Therefore, nothing is keeping me from killing you, if I so chose."

Now, Remy's heart leapt with joy. It was obvious that the Dark Lord didn't know about his new wand. Therefore, he had an advantage over him -- no borrowed wand was worth the original, and Remy actually had his own wand. A very powerful wand at that.

...Now, if only he had been able to use it...

Frustrated, Remy sighed, then glared at Voldemort under furrowed eyebrows. The snake-man merely laughed, seemingly finding his hateful attitude amusing. Then, losing his interest in him, the Dark Lord again turned towards his parents. "At last I have caught you, Severus," he said, sounding smug as ever. "It took a lot of work, true, but in the end, I managed. I always win in the end, Severus. You should know that already." He was about to say something else only to be interrupted by a knock on the door. Irritated, he yelled, "Come in, and I hope for your sake that it's important!"

"I do think this is important, my Lord," said an all too familiar voice as the door was opened. "Or did you not want the werewolf and his lover, too?" Harry came to sight, Remus and Kingsley walking in front of him, looking defeated. The young wizard had a wand pointed at their backs in a threatening manner.

"Their wands, my Lord," Harry said with a smug voice, throwing two wands onto the floor, both snapped. Of course, Voldemort could not know that these were not real wands, just transfigured sticks. On the other hand, they couldn't know whether he'd try to kill the two men immediately -- in which case they'd have to protect themselves, or escape, and their carefully laid plan would be ruined -- or ignore them for a while. However, they had to take the risk to have any chance at managing.

"Excellent, Harry, simply excellent," said Voldemort, sounding indeed satisfied. "You have proved your worth very well indeed. Just leave them in the corner. They won't dare to try anything. Without their wands, there is no way they could ever hurt me before I managed to kill them all."

"Harry, you traitor!" yelled Remy, managing to feign anger. At least one thing was going like it was planned. "I thought you were my friend! How could you do that to your own _carrier_?"

"My carrier, indeed," the light-haired boy replied with a smirk. "And that's all he ever was to me. He carried me and gave birth to me, all right. But what else did he ever do to earn my respect? He only became my parent by tearing me from my former family. I have no reason to be loyal to him -- or to any of you." With a malicious laugh, he finished, "At least with the Great Lord, I get what I deserve."

"The only thing you deserve is a slow and painful death, you scum," spat Kingsley, wrapping his arms around Remus. The werewolf seemed to be unable to speak, covering his eyes with his hands. Oh, they should have got Oscars for that, the whole lot. "You're not worth even the land you filth!"

"My, such harsh words, Kingsley," the young wizard said, raising an eyebrow. "I'm not the one filthing this place by my presence. Before this so-called parent of mine claimed me back, I was a part of a Pureblood family -- a fallen, Muggle-loving family, yes, but still Pureblood. Now one fourth of me is Muggle; I am filthy, yes. But I do not let that go around. I don't love Muggles like you do. In fact, I would gladly pour out one fourth of my blood myself if it meant that I would be pure again." Laughing again evilly, he finished, "Such luck you never got to become my stepfather like you planned, Kingsley. One Gryffindor parent alive is definitely enough for me. To have a Gryffindor parent who's an idiot on top of that..."

"As amusing as all this is," Voldemort said levelly, "I'm afraid you're needed elsewhere now, Harry. Bring me the two girls, alive. It doesn't matter what you have to do to achieve that -- just do it."

Now, Harry bowed, then hurried out of the room. As soon as he closed the door behind him, Severus's eyes flickered from Voldemort to settle on the door. "Traitor," he hissed. Only one word. _Traitor_.

"Oh, no, I don't think so," the Dark Lord said with cool amusement in his tone. "The true traitor is still among us. I'm sure you know whom I mean, Severus... don't you?"

At that, the darkhaired Slytherin said nothing. Instead, he just glared at his former Master hatefully.

"So you have suddenly forgot how to speak. A pity, really," Voldemort chuckled. "You amused me so many years with your untrue stories. I was kind of hoping you would again let me hear something funny."

Suddenly Sirius spoke up, his left hand still clutching the bleeding wound on his arm. "You want to hear something funny? Well, fuck you!" he yelled. "You will never win, Voldemort. Do you hear me? Never!"

Voldemort merely snorted at this outburst like an adult might at a raging child. Glancing briefly at Remy yet again, then at the defeated adult wizards, his eyes finally settled on Severus. Then, he said, "Well, it seems to me like I have already won. There is only one detail missing... To be exact, getting rid of the worst nuisance." Raising his wand and pointing it at the traitorous Death Eater, he snarled, "_Avada Kedarva_."

Just then, a horrified voice shouted, "NO!" And then, another darkhaired man threw himself in front of Severus, the emerald jet of light hitting him right on chest.

Without as much as a sound, Sirius slowly collapsed, his mouth opened in a scream that was never heard.

For a moment everybody was absolutely silent. Then, very quietly, a trembling hand reached out, Severus whispered, "Sirius..." Then he fell silent again, paler than ever.

Glancing up at the Dark Lord with tear-filled eyes, Severus now glared at him with even more hatred than ever before. "You want me dead, then kill me," he spat. "You shouldn't have killed him. He could have done no harm to you; you'd already wounded his wand hand."

"Well, I didn't mean to kill him yet," Voldemort replied dryly. "Of course I would have taken care of that sooner or later, but not yet. I hardly am to blame if he decides that you are worth protecting, am I?"

"Then at least kill me, too!" yelled the other Slytherin, seemingly out of his mind with shock and grief. "Or do you think that it's the best torture to just let me wallow in my grief? Well, you'd better change your mind soon, since as soon as I get my hands at you, you are going to be a dead man!"

"Anybody can make a mistake," snarled the Dark Lord, "but only a fool repeats it. I won't repeat my error, Severus, have no fear of it. You won't become the new Man-Who-Lived. Instead," he then added with a nasty gleam in his eyes, "instead, you will see how I kill those you claim to love -- one by one, all in front of you. And you shall know that they are all going to die just because of _you_. And you won't attack me," he continued then. "Since every moment you stay put means a moment during which none of your loved ones dies... Well, at least not more than one. If, however, you try something, I'll make sure to give them all a simultaneous, very painful death -- and then I will have you locked up in a cell, going out of your mind for grief and guilt. Does that sound appealing to you?"

* * *

Samantha peeked around the corner. Seeing no one, she hurried along. Coming to yet another corner, from which three different corridors continued each on their own way, she looked at the snake she had taken from her hair and held now in her hand instead. "Which way?" she asked quietly. As Sarlass hissed and pointed her head at one corridor, Samantha ran there. 

For some time already she had been running through the corridors, Sarlass and her bond with Remy as her only guides. Now, she felt that they should be near.

True enough, soon the snake started to hiss furiously. Glancing up, Samantha noticed that she had come to a door. Small and old, made of aged wood, it strongly reminded her of the one leading to the Upper Ravenclaw Dungeons. Forcing the unpleasant memories out of her mind, she turned to Sarlass again. "Is this it?" she asked. As she got a nod in response, she hesitated a bit. But only a bit, like could be said in her honour. She might have made a fine Gryffindor.

"Stay here and wait, Sarlass," she said quietly to the snake, putting it down on the floor. "I don't want Remy to get hurt if something happens to me. Take care of yourself, okay?" Uncaring about the snake's obviously protesting hisses, she then slowly pushed the door open.

* * *

Remy saw the door he had spotted before being stupefied slowly opening. Wondering what might come in, he was shocked to see Samantha peeking in through the doorway. "Go away!" he tried to hiss at her, only to catch her attention. At seeing him, her eyes widened in shock. 

"Remy!" she exclaimed, obviously unable to stay quiet. Now, even though Remy's hiss had somehow gone unnoticed by Voldemort, he most certainly did hear her shout.

"Ah, isn't this just what I needed," he said with a smirk. With a quick spell he summoned the girl into the hall and dropped her unceremoniously onto the floor, where she sat, staring at him in fear. "Welcome to my humble home, Miss Green... and goodbye." At this, he pointed his wand at her.

Unable to move or do anything else, Remy just watched helplessly as the Dark Lord hissed, "_Avada Kedarva_." For a moment he thought he was going to receive the curse himself through his bond with Sarlass, and welcomed it, as him being hit by it would mean that Samantha lived a little longer. His own situation was hopeless already. Then, however, he noticed that her hair was down, not being held up by Sarlass the living hairband. And that could only mean that she had left her protector behind.

"Samantha!" he cried out as the green jet of light hit the tiny girl, tossing her back. His heart sank to the bottom of his stomach as he watched her tiny body crumble down and end up in a heap on the floor, now unmoving. Despite his desperate calls for her name, she did not rise.

She would never rise again.

Remy's eyes were almost blinded by tears he would not let himself shed. He had had enough. His Dad had just been killed by this madman, Hermione was most probably dead, too, and they were all trapped into this place with the Dark Lord. He was trapped and forced to see his friends and family being killed one by one, and even if he'd been free, he probably couldn't have collected the rage and hatred needed to cast the Killing Curse and save the rest of his loved ones; he was too numb from the pain of losing his Dad. And now -- now Samantha was dead, too?

Samantha. Little, young Samantha, who had nothing to do with this. Who should have been at Hogwarts with her peers, who shouldn't have been burdened by the responsibility of them others. Samantha, who should have been safe, whom Remy had vowed to keep _alive_, and whom he had now brought to danger -- and death.

An unidentifiable sound escaped his lips as he suddenly collected all the energy he could. The chains binding him to the wall practically melted away as pure power trickled in his hands. Dropping gracefully onto his feet on the floor, Remy caught his wand lying on the floor. Pointing it at Voldemort, with all the rage that was boiling inside him, rage at Voldemort, at himself, and at the stupid, stupid world that laid its fate on the shoulders of mere children, he bellowed, "_AVADA KEDARVA_!"

There was a blinding flash of green light. When the light subsided, he saw that the Dark Lord's body was crumbled down on the floor. However, he also saw a faint, red light leaving the body, a light that was Lord Voldemort's soul and spirit.

But Remy found himself unable to care anymore. He couldn't do anything, he could just hope Kingsley and Remus had the talisman ready. All rage was gone along with the Killing Curse, and the numbness was returning.

Walking very slowly, as if he was only half awake, Remy went to the place where his Father still sat, silently cradling his Dad's lifeless body in his arms. "...Father?" Remy asked hesitantly, his voice hardly more than a whisper.

"Remy," whispered Severus back. "Remy, he is dead. He is dead and he's not coming back." The Slytherin chewed his trembling bottom lip and continued, "He is dead because of me... Because he didn't want me to be hurt..."

"I know, Father, I know," replied Remy hoarsely. "Samantha's dead too. Merlin, I hope I had never even spoken to her for the first time, it was me who got her into this whole mess at the first point..."

"Don't blame yourself," said the Slytherin. "Just... just don't blame yourself. That'll do no good to anybody."

"Then why do you do that?" asked the boy quietly. "Who do you blame yourself? What good will that do?"

But his father didn't reply this time. Instead, Remy saw as the older Snape's mask shattered, and silent tears began to roll down the pale cheeks.

Seeing this, the boy stayed silent also. Instead of speaking he turned around and walked to where the lifeless tiny girl lay, a thousand thoughts flying through his head.

'_Could I have prevented this?_' was one of them, and '_What the hell am I going to tell Benjamin?' _However, the one thought on top of his mind was, '_I loved Samantha. I loved her, I told I would keep her alive, and all I ever did for her was to bring her to her death._'

'_Well, at least I kept my promise_,' he thougth then humourlessly. '_She will not die of her illness, I truly saw to that._'

And, despite the fact that he'd never thought it would happen, he noticed big, salty tears falling from his eyes as he collected the girl's tiny, still warm body into his arms, holding her like she were a little baby.

* * *

Kingsley and Remus were both momentarily blinded by the flash of green light as Remy cast his Killing Curse. When they got their sight back, they both saw a red haze of light leave the Dark Lord's limp body. Exchanging determined glances, they stepped forward, Remus already mouthing the words of the trapping curses, Kingsley with a wand in one of his hands and his other fingering the talisman in his pocket. 

Whatever they had expected the Dark Lord's spirit to do, it most certainly wasn't what it did. Instead of fleeing, it turned right towards them, and before either could do anything, the light had enveloped Remus's body -- and slipped inside.

Lord Voldemort knew his enemies, knew them very well. And from this knowledge he'd figured that the best way to make his enemies hesitant to use force against him was to ensure that it would also mean harming their loved ones.

Kingsley knew this, watching in horror as Remus screamed out loud, dropped his wand, and kneeled down in a struggle to retain control of his mind. The black wizard also knew that if the werewolf lost this struggle, they most probably couldn't destroy Voldemort without killing Remus in the process.

And, with a sting in his heart, he knew that he would have to be the one to do it.

A pained moan broke him out of this shocked daze, and he again concentrated at Remus. He looked into his lover's eyes and saw immense pain there. However, even more he saw something else.

Kingsley saw fear, and desperation. And he knew why those emotions were there. It was not because he was afraid of Kingsley harming him to get to Voldemort, it was because he feared Kingsley might not be in time.

"Help me, Ley," Remus coughed raspily. "It hurts... Merlin, it hurts..."

Reaching a hand again into his pocket, Kingsley tried hard not to shiver as he saw the first flicker of crimson in Remus's amber eyes as Lord Voldemort began to win the struggle. Instead, he just wrapped an arm around his lover, steadying the trembling body against his chest. And, with a tearily murmured, "I'm sorry, Remus," he snaked a hand through a tear in the front of Remus's robes and pressed the object he was holding against his lover's chest.

Remus screamed in pain, and another voice screamed also through his mouth. For a moment, the crimson light again shone around Remus, then it disappeared into nothing. Warily the black wizard pulled the silver talisman out of Remus's robes and glanced suspiciously at it. The small gem flickered red once, twice, and then the inner light in it vanished.

Lord Voldemort had now been permanently destroyed.

But at what cost, Kingsley didn't dare to even think about as Remus's body fell limply forward, only being stopped from falling by the black wizard's steadying arm.

'_But what now?_' he thought as he cradled Remus's body in the same manner as Severus was holding Sirius, and Remy was holding Samantha. None of them noticed as the Aurors broke into the hall, Harry and Hermione leading them. None of them noticed anything but the lifeless corpses of their most loved ones, the bodies of those who'd been sacrificed to bring down the Dark Lord Voldemort.

* * *

A/N::hides: Don't hurt me! Don't hurt me! Owww... 

Next: Epilogue

Three weeks later, Hermione is worried.


	28. Epilogue: Waiting

Disclaimer: I own something.

A/N: Sorry to disappoint all you Samantha-haters... I'm not quite ready to break my habit of keeping all good people alive through the whole story. I just said somebody'd be AK'd... I never said that they died.

The two things that did NOT happen are:

Remy ensures that Samantha will not die of her illness, and

Sirius pulls a prank.

Oh, and in case you didn't notice, this is the epilogue. As in, the last piece of this story. I said I'd finish this, didn't I?

* * *

Epilogue 

Waiting

* * *

An excited voice rose from the side of one of the Infirmary beds. "She moved!" Remy announced, his eyes never leaving the motionless body that lay on the bed. "I'm sure she did!" 

Hermione rushed immediately to his side, her eyes also locked at the small body, waiting for seeing the reported sign of life to be repeated. Severus didn't move from his place, but allowed his eyes to flicker momentarily away from the equally lifeless body he was staring at.

Then, the Slytherin's calm mask was also broken as he, too, exclaimed, "He's moving also!" There was such relief in his voice that it seemed impossible for a man as calm and controlled as he usually was.

Hermione watched in fascination as both father and son stared down at the two no-more-comatoses. She couldn't help but feel almost envious about the attention they were getting -- and only by getting almost killed! She'd fought with the Death Eaters, then finally managed to creep into Voldemort's lair along with several Aurors, only to meet the sight of three wizards each crying over a lifeless body.

Fortunately, none of the three was dead -- although at the moment they'd been as good as. As Voldemort had used a wand not his own, the Killing Curses had been just weak enough not to accomplish the death of the victim, though it hadn't been much short of that. Even Remus, although badly injured, had been alive.

Now they all, Sirius, Samantha, and Remus, had lain in a coma for almost three weeks. During that time, the remaining members of the so-called destroying party hadn't left their side for more than they were forced to, each lost in their own kind of self-blaming and guilt. Severus blamed himself because Sirius had tried to protect him, Remy because Samantha had been there because of him, and Kingsley because he'd personally hurt Remus to destroy Voldemort's spirit. Madam Pomfrey, Benjamin, Hermione, and, occasionally, Harry had kept an eye on them as well as on the patients, making sure that the three wizards at least ate something while wallowing in their self-loath.

By the looks of it, two of the injured were now waking up. However, there were no other signs of life in Remus than the steady rise and fall of his chest -- and even that faltered occasionally. That was the reason why Madam Pomfrey had cast an alarm spell on him in case he stopped breathing.

At the exactly same moment, Sirius and Samantha slowly opened their eyes. And, at the exactly same moment, Severus and Remy lost all signs of worry on their faces and started their ranting.

"You bloody fool," hissed Severus at his husband, "you bloody, fucking, stupid fool. What the hell were you thinking? Or are all you bloody Gryffindors incapable of such a thing? I would kill you myself if I wouldn't get Poppy at my neck for that! I swear, you are the most insufferable, unthoughtful git in this whole wide world! Did it even occur to you how I would feel when you did that? I hate you, Sirius Anthony Snape, I hate you with all my heart --"

"You stupid, arrogant little idiot!" spat Remy with an icy glare. "I told you to stay somewhere safe, didn't I? But no, little miss Green can't do as she's instructed, she can't do anything sensible, she just has to rush ahead and almost get herself killed without accomplishing anything. What could you have even done? Other than getting yourself tortured and killed, of course? You're a bloody idiot, Samantha, and I just don't know what keeps me from killing you myself, as you clearly don't care whether you live or die --"

And on and on they went. Hermione allowed this to continue, exchanging glances full of silent amusement with both patients. Then, when she thought the Snapes had got enough fumes out of their systems, she said mildly, directing her words to Sirius and Samantha, "And this is the way a born Snape says 'I have been sitting on your bedside for the last three weeks and I love you with all my heart.'"

This silenced both Severus and Remy rather effectively, while both patients chuckled tiredly. Sirius looked merely amused, while a slight blush coloured Samantha's cheeks.

"Just how are we alive, though?" asked Sirius then. "I mean, the bastard did use Avada Kedarva on me, at least. I don't know what exactly happened to you, Samantha, but I don't think it was anything good."

"Voldemort did use the Killing Curse on you both, yes," Severus said, now a lot calmer than before. "However, as he mistakenly assumed Remy was using his old wand and thus got a new wand for himself, he was not exactly as powerful as usually. Had he used his full magical strength, there's no doubt you would both be dead by now. Not wanting to waste his power, though, he used only as much as was needed to kill you. He forgot, however, that with a borrowed wand, he should have used more power than usually. Therefore, he didn't manage to take you out for good."

"Well, that's a relief," Sirius sighed. "So he's gone for good now, right? Remy, Remus and Kingsley managed to do their jobs?" As he saw the grim expression of the others, he frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Remus is wrong," Remy said with a sigh, though his was definitely not because of relief. "Voldemort tried to possess his body. Kingsley managed to stop that by pressing the talisman against him, indeed destroying Voldemort. However, the silver of the talisman burned Remus pretty badly." He glanced at the nearby bed, biting his lip. "It's been three weeks now... He hasn't shown any signs of waking up."

At this news, Sirius and Samantha both fell silent.

* * *

"Well?" asked Kingsley irritably from Madam Pomfrey. "Even Sirius and Samantha are now up and about, and they were hit by Voldemort's Killing Curse! What's wrong with Remus? Why won't he wake up?" 

The mediwitch shook her head slowly. "I won't lie to you, Kingsley," she said softly. "I'm certain the talisman's powers didn't harm Remus's soul -- at least not permanently. But as you know, the silver indeed damaged him -- that's the reason he's in a coma. I'm concerned about the possibility that the silver might have damaged his brains very badly even in such a short time, as the talisman was pressed over his heart and could have entered his blood stream. Although there are seemingly no bodily reactions to it, we have no way of knowing what his mental state will be once he wakes up -- if he does."

The wizard nodded mutely, lowering his gaze as if in shame. "I understand," he said quietly.

"It was not your fault," said then a quiet voice from behind him. Turning around, Kingsley saw Harry's hazel eyes locked at him. "It was not your fault," the young wizard repeated, "it was only Voldemort's fault."

"I know, Harry," said Kingsley raspily, almost unable to meet the eyes of his lover's son. "But I still cannot help thinking that I could have done otherwise... That maybe I shouldn't have hurt him."

"You shouldn't think like that," said Hermione firmly. Her arm was entangled around Harry's, and she sounded almost strict. "You won't help Remus by bitching at yourself about something you couldn't have helped. You must concentrate on healing him instead. If anybody can help him, it's you."

"I'd like to believe that," the black wizard said with a humourless smirk. "However, I don't know if anybody indeed _can_ help him, least of all me. You heard what Poppy said. If he wakes up -- note that, _if_ he wakes up at all -- he might very well be insane because of the silver."

"Still, it isn't your fault," Harry said determinedly. "If you hadn't done what you did, Voldemort would have possessed him, and then Father would have been as good as dead. Or, rather, worse than dead -- trapped in his own body, completely under Voldemort's control. You would have been the first one he'd been forced to kill. I've no doubt that experience would have broken his mind completely."

"Stop that," sighed Kingsley. "I _know_ what would have happened. It doesn't change the fact that something indeed happened, something bad -- and I caused it directly. I pressed silver against his heart, Harry! It's only by pure luck that I didn't kill him right away with that. He's a werewolf; silver is worse to him than any poison." Sighing again, he continued, "I can't understand how you can treat me so calmly. It is because of me that your father lies on this bed... and might not wake up."

"For the last time, it is _not_ because of you," Harry snapped. "It is solely Voldemort's fault. If you're trying to take the blame, then you're saying that Voldemort isn't to blame. And Father wasn't the only one hurt there, either. Seven Aurors died there, Kingsley. Seven trained Aurors! And three Order members, too. Several were injured. Sirius and Samantha were only yesterday released, and it's been almost a month since that day -- and neither of them is still allowed to participate on any lessons. Madam Pomfrey is afraid --" by this time, the mediwitch had left, leaving them to talk in peace, "that the experience might cause Samantha's weakening to come earlier than it otherwise would have. And it is all because of Voldemort. You sitting here and feeling sorry for yourself isn't going to help anybody, least of all Father!"

"Then what should I do?" snapped Kingsley. "What _can_ I do?"

"Come to teach DADA for one thing," Hermione supplied. "Our substitute teacher is so poor that I doubt even half will pass the end-of-term exams if he continues teaching. It's our fifth year now. I'd like to have a proper teacher so that I will not fail in my OWLs, and you'd be helping Remus at the same time."

"Teach DADA? That's the only thing I can do for him?" Kingsley laughed bitterly. Then he shook his head. "Very well. I doubt I can do much to undo the damage done by a poor substitute in a month, but I can try my best. I need something to concentrate on beside Remus anyway."

"That's right," Harry said. "My father will wake up sooner or later. When that happens, he won't be happy if he finds out that all you've done is just mourning. Do something useful with your time. Make something of your life, for Merlin's sake! You know that Father wouldn't want you to stop living because of him. So, because of him, you have to accept that life goes on. Father will join that life when he's ready."

"I guess you're right." Kingsley sighed. "Or, at least I hope you're right." With that, he rose from the chair on Remus's bedside, the one he had only vacated for some short periods of time for the last month. "It's probably best that I go to talk to Dumbledore now."

"That's right," Harry said, sounding satisfied. "You can visit Father after lessons if you want."

"By the way, Harry?" asked Kingsley then, suddenly realizing something. "Just what are you doing at Hogwarts? I'd think you have more than enough to do in the Ministry at the moment."

"What, me?" Harry blinked innocently. "I just brought my girlfriend to see my father... Oh, and I guess I happen to be the Charms substitute, too. After all, Sirius isn't allowed to teach yet."

Kingsley raised an eyebrow. Then he shook his head. "I hope you're not that bad at teaching as the DADA substitute, then," he muttered. "Though I doubt you even could be, what with your parents."

"Oh, I'm not," laughed Harry. "If I was, Hermione would certainly make sure I knew it."

"Sounds familiar." With that, Kingsley followed them towards the door of Infirmary. Once there, he hesitated and turned around, his gaze landing on Remus's immobile form once again. There was no movement, no signs of life in the werewolf, and that alone almost broke his heart.

Then he drew a deep breath, opened the door, and stepped out into the light and noise of the corridors.

* * *

A/N: I thank you all for reading through this whole story! 

I realize that the ending of this a)was weird, forgive me, I did my best, and b)kind of asks for a sequel. I do have the general plotline of a possible sequel planned out. However, I am not making any promises. It is very probable that I do write a sequel for this fic, considering that this is the most popular of my stories, but I MAKE NO PROMISES.

...As it is rather probable, though, you might want to hang around... Or tell me that you want an e-mail warning in case I ever decide to actually write that sequel. Don't leave your e-mail address in the review, as those will not show up; give a signed review and make sure your options enable showing your e-mail on your profile page. If you don't have an account, just e-mail me, although I'd prefer a signed review, seeing that my computer has a tendency to lose my e-mails and at the same time those e-mail addresses.

Anyway, in case you enjoyed this, you might also like to look at some of my other fics! Or at least tell me what you liked about this...


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